Are snus and nicotine pouches legal in Vietnam?
Vietnam has no rule that names snus or nicotine pouches, and neither has a legal retail channel. The Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms 2012 governs tobacco products, and National Assembly Resolution 173/2024/QH15 banned the sale, use, import, production, storage and transport of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products from 1 January 2025. GSTHR records snus as banned, while other trackers call the status unclear, so treat oral nicotine as legally unsettled and commercially unavailable. The minimum age for tobacco products is 18.
South-Eastern Asia
Vietnam at a glance
| Nicotine pouches (tobacco-free) | Tobacco snus | |
|---|---|---|
| Sale to adults | No specific rule found | No specific rule found |
| Possession and use | Unclear | Unclear |
| Personal import (mail order, bringing in) | Unclear | Unclear |
| Online sale inside the country | Unclear | Unclear |
| Regulated | classification unclear | as a tobacco product |
| Minimum age | 18 | 18 |
| Nicotine strength cap | No legal cap found | No legal cap found |
| Flavours | Unclear | Unclear |
| Excise tax | Unclear | Unclear |
| Legal basis | Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms 2012; Resolution 173/2024/QH15 | Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms 2012 |
| In force since | – | – |
Low confidence: Single source or inferred from general tobacco law. Treat as indicative. Research tier 1. How we verify.
Nicotine pouches in Vietnam
No specific rule, no legal market.
Vietnamese law does not specifically address tobacco-free nicotine pouches. The 2024 resolution that took effect on 1 January 2025 prohibits e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products; it does not name oral pouches, but the direction of policy is strongly prohibitive and an oral nicotine product could be caught by a later instrument or treated as an unregistered product. There is no established legal market.
Sources: NicotineAtlas, Tobacco Control Laws (Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids)
Tobacco snus in Vietnam
Unclear; recorded as banned by GSTHR.
No snus-specific provision exists and smokeless oral tobacco is uncommon in Vietnam, so there is no clear legal retail channel. GSTHR's 2024 country data records the regulatory status of snus as 'Banned', but names no instrument. Sources conflict; the practical position is that snus is not sold.
Sources: NicotineAtlas, Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction (GSTHR)
Bringing snus or nicotine pouches into Vietnam
| For personal use | Unclear |
| Declaration | Unclear |
| Penalties | E-cigarettes and heated tobacco products are prohibited to import; travellers carrying them risk seizure and fines. The treatment of oral nicotine at the border is undocumented. |
No Vietnamese customs page setting a tobacco allowance was retrieved, so no figure is recorded. Given the 2025 prohibition on other novel nicotine products, carrying oral nicotine into Vietnam is legally risky.
Full travel guide: can you bring snus and nicotine pouches to Vietnam?
Buying snus and pouches in Vietnam
- Nicotine pouches sold in shops: No
- Tobacco snus sold in shops: No
Pending and proposed changes
- Vietnam is drafting implementing rules for the ban on e-cigarettes and heated tobacco under Resolution 173/2024/QH15; other novel nicotine products, including oral pouches, may be brought within scope. Status: rumoured.
Frequently asked questions
Are nicotine pouches legal in Vietnam?
There is no rule that names them. They are not sold through any legal channel, and since e-cigarettes and heated tobacco were banned from 1 January 2025 the regulatory direction is against novel nicotine products.
Is snus legal in Vietnam?
Unclear. No Vietnamese law mentions snus, and it is not sold. GSTHR's country data lists it as banned, but cites no instrument.
Can I bring nicotine pouches into Vietnam?
There is no published allowance or exemption. Vietnam prohibits importing e-cigarettes and heated tobacco outright, so carrying oral nicotine is a risk with no clear legal cover.
What is the age limit for tobacco in Vietnam?
18. Sale of tobacco products to anyone under 18 is prohibited.
Are vapes banned in Vietnam?
Yes. Since 1 January 2025 the sale, use, import, production, storage and transport of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products are prohibited.
Nearby in the atlas
- Afghanistan – pouches unregulated (sold openly), snus legal
- Armenia – pouches legal, snus no specific rule found
- Azerbaijan – pouches unregulated (sold openly), snus no specific rule found
- Bahrain – pouches banned, snus banned
- Bangladesh – pouches no specific rule found, snus legal
- Bhutan – pouches no specific rule found, snus legal with restrictions
- Brunei – pouches no specific rule found, snus banned
- Cambodia – pouches no specific rule found, snus legal
- China – pouches legal with restrictions, snus legal with restrictions
- Georgia – pouches legal, snus legal
Where are nicotine pouches legal?Where is snus legal?Strength limits by countryAge limits by country
Sources
- Vietnam - Snus, Nicotine Pouches & Tobacco Laws – NicotineAtlas (Other; accessed 4 September 2026) ✓ verified
“Nicotine pouches are not specifically addressed by Vietnamese law”
- Using snus in Vietnam – Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction (GSTHR) (NGO / research, 1 January 2024; accessed 4 September 2026) ✓ verified
“Banned”
- Viet Nam Legal Summary – Tobacco Control Laws (Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids) (NGO / research; accessed 4 September 2026) ✓ verified
“The sale, use, import, production, storage and transportation of e-cigarettes is prohibited.”
Record last verified 4 September 2026. Found an error or a newer rule? Tell us and we will re-check the source.