February 16, 2026
THIMPHU – The National Council of Bhutan and the Bhutan Food and Drug Authority (BFDA) are reviewing the Tobacco Control Act of Bhutan to regulate emerging products such as electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) and other nicotine delivery systems.
The proposed amendments aim to clarify enforcement, strengthen coordination among agencies, and align the law with international public health standards.
Imports of e-cigarettes and related personal vaporising devices jumped from 994 units in 2022 to 448,086 units in 2025, worth Nu 48.45 million, according to Bhutan Trade Statistics.
The amendments seek to enhance protection for children and young people by providing clear regulatory guidance for emerging products like e-cigarettes and vaping devices and by promoting product safety and quality standards.
Kelzang Wangdi, chief programme officer at BFDA’s Controlled Substances and Medical Device Division, said the amendments are designed to regulate emerging nicotine and non-nicotine products more clearly and introduce safety and quality standards, including limits on nicotine content.
When the law was enacted in 2010, he said, products such as e-cigarettes, synthetic nicotine, and flavoured tobacco were not widespread, resulting in regulatory blind spots.
Phub Dorji, the Chairperson of the National Council’s Social and Cultural Affairs Committee, clarified that the review is not aimed at banning tobacco but at responding to the increasing use of e-cigarettes, vapes, flavored tobacco, and synthetic nicotine products.
“With the absence of this in the act, enforcement has faced difficulties in imposing penalties,” he said.
The National Council recently convened a meeting with officials from the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Employment, the Office of the Attorney General of Bhutan,and the Royal Bhutan Police to examine enforcement gaps and consider stronger control measures.
Discussions focused on the proliferation of vaping products, substandard tobacco goods, penalties, and cessation strategies, as well as Bhutan’s obligations under the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
The push for reform follows findings from the National Health Survey 2023, which reported an overall tobacco use prevalence of 31.4 percent.
Among those aged 15 to 24, prevalence stands at 29.2 percent, with the average age of initiation at 18.2 years.
The survey found that 17.7 percent of tobacco users also use vaping products, a figure rising to 20.2 percent among young adults.
Kelzang Wangdi said ambiguities around sales to minors, the absence of a comprehensive product quality control system, and fragmented penalty provisions have hindered enforcement.
The proposed amendments would empower local authorities, consolidate offences and penalties, introduce clearer product regulations, and establish explicit protections for minors.
Under the revised framework, importers and retailers would face defined compliance obligations aimed at improving product safety, reducing second-hand exposure, and strengthening cessation support.
The BFDA plans to support implementation through inspections, market surveillance, periodic surveys, and enhanced data-sharing across agencies.
The current review marks the fourth amendment to the tobacco law since its adoption in 2010.
In July 2021, the country lifted a nationwide prohibition on tobacco sales that had been in place since 2004, citing the need to curb illicit trade and address pandemic-related public health concerns.
Since then, Bhutan has imported tobacco products worth Nu 766.57 million over four years, compared with Nu 453.43 million in 2021 alone, according to trade data.