Indonesia Considers Total Vape Ban as Ministry Reviews Rules

JAKARTA, Indonesianpost.com — Indonesia’s Health Ministry has responded to a religious ruling by the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) declaring the use of electronic cigarettes, or vapes, prohibited under Islamic law.

The government is reviewing options to strengthen controls on e-cigarettes, including a nationwide ban on their distribution.

The ministry’s response follows the issuance of MUI Fatwa No. 131 of 2026 on the use of electronic cigarettes.

Aji Muhawarman, head of the ministry’s Communications and Public Services Bureau, welcomed the council’s focus on protecting public health through the ruling.

He said the move could reinforce government efforts to prevent harm from e-cigarette use.

“From a health perspective, e-cigarettes are not risk-free products. Nicotine is addictive, and even without tar, the other substances, aerosols and chemicals they contain can still pose health risks,” Aji said in a written statement on Wednesday, November 11, 2026.

Aji said perceptions that vaping is safer than smoking conventional cigarettes should be treated with caution, as e-cigarettes still contain nicotine and other chemicals that can harm the body.

Those risks are a concern for the ministry, which said closer oversight was needed to prevent vaping products from reaching children and teenagers. Nicotine exposure among these groups could lead to dependence and harm their health, it warned.

Beyond nicotine content, the ministry also highlighted the misuse of vaping devices to consume narcotics, psychotropic substances and other addictive drugs. It described the practice as an emerging threat requiring serious attention from multiple stakeholders.

“We see e-cigarettes as an issue that goes beyond smoking habits. There is also the potential for these devices to be misused to consume other harmful substances,” Aji said.

The government already regulates e-cigarettes under Government Regulation No. 28 of 2024. The rules cover age and sales restrictions, advertising and promotion controls, and product contents.

However, the ministry said existing policies needed to be evaluated and strengthened to better protect public health.

A complete ban on the distribution of vaping products is among the options under government review. The proposal remains part of a broader effort to strengthen regulation and has not been adopted as official government policy.

“The Health Ministry will continue to review and strengthen e-cigarette control policies based on the principle of protecting public health, including plans for a complete ban on the distribution of vaping products,” Aji said.

The ministry also urged the public to help prevent e-cigarette use, particularly among young people. It called on parents, teachers, other educators and school communities to strengthen supervision and raise awareness of the risks of nicotine exposure.

Such efforts are important to prevent children and teenagers from taking up vaping at an early age, the ministry said.

The ministry expressed hope that broader public engagement, including the MUI’s support through its religious ruling, would strengthen efforts to control e-cigarettes and protect public health in Indonesia. [Inilah/Bilah]