East Java Chamber of Commerce and Industry and BNN Discuss Strategic Steps in Response to Proposed Vape Ban
The East Java Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin), which oversees Non-Tobacco Excise, the Tobacco Product Industry (IHT), and Inter-Agency Relations, held a meeting with the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) on Wednesday of last week. The discussion focused on the state of the electronic cigarette, or vape, industry in Indonesia and strategic steps to respond to the prospect of a total ban on vape circulation.
“During the meeting it was agreed that the industry would strengthen scientific studies and field data to formally lodge objections with policymakers,” according to Kadin Jatim’s official Instagram account, dated Wednesday, 20 May 2026. The organisation said the move followed industry concerns about the possibility of a total ban on vaping.
Previously, industry players opposed the proposal to ban vaping and the plan to include the product in revisions to the Narcotics and Psychotropics Act being considered by Commission III of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI). They warn that a total ban could jeopardise the viability of the legal vape sector, which is largely driven by micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and potentially affect employment.
In the meeting, Kadin Jatim also pressed for regulatory improvements to prevent the misuse of vape as a narcotics medium by illegal syndicates. Separately, Supiyanto, Head of the Narkotics Laboratory Center at BNN, said the agency had not found narcotics in legally sold vape products on the market. BNN urged the legal industry to strengthen mitigation and product monitoring systems in line with applicable regulatory standards. Kadin Jatim, for its part, reaffirmed its commitment to preserving industry viability without misuse, to protect the business climate and public safety.
As a follow-up, Kadin Jatim, together with BNN and related associations, will coordinate further to ensure the operational continuity of the industry and employment in East Java.