Regarding the fourteen heated tobacco product (HTP) applications submitted by two companies, eight HTPs and their three essential components (heated tobacco devices) have passed review and will take effect on October 11, 2025. The remaining six HTPs are pending due to incomplete documentation and have not yet been approved. The review and approval were conducted in accordance with the Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act and related regulations, and were finalized following expert evaluation. All procedures complied with the law, and no irregularities were found.
Going forward, any products placed on the market must comply with the Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act, the Tobacco and Alcohol Administration Act, and applicable tax requirements. Non-compliant products are prohibited from sale. The Health Promotion Administration (HPA), Ministry of Health and Welfare, in collaboration with local governments, will launch a targeted enforcement plan. The plan will intensify inspections of retailers, areas surrounding school campuses, and online platforms, and will also increase the frequency of mystery-shopper visits to closely monitor businesses’ compliance with relevant regulations. The display of heated tobacco devices is prohibited. Specialty stores found publicly displaying such devices will be in violation and subject to enhanced enforcement, with particular focus on areas near school campuses.
The HPA adopts a zero-tolerance stance toward youth use of HTPs, strictly prohibiting sales to persons under 20 years of age and to pregnant women. The authorities will continue to raise public awareness of tobacco-related hazards and to publish enforcement results on a regular basis, in order to build a comprehensive tobacco-control safety net and safeguard public health.
Furthermore, the prohibition of additives in tobacco products remains under discussion. Once promulgated, it will apply uniformly to all tobacco products, including HTPs. Approved HTPs are also prohibited from making misleading claims such as “safer” or “a substitute for cigarettes,” to ensure consumers are not misled.