North Sumatra Governor Bobby Nasution Bans ASN and BUMD Employees from Using Vapes

North Sumatra Governor Bobby Nasution has prohibited state civil servants (ASN), non-ASN staff, and employees of Regional-Owned Enterprises (BUMD) in North Sumatra from using electronic cigarettes or vapes. The policy is described as a preemptive step to protect the public, especially the younger generation, from the potential misuse of narcotics and the long-term health impacts of vaping.

The ban is stipulated in North Sumatra Governor Instruction Number: 188.54/3/INST/2026 concerning the Prohibition of Vapes or Electronic Cigarettes in North Sumatra, addressed to all regents and mayors across the province. Erwin Hotmansah Harahap, Head of the North Sumatra Communication and Informatics Office, stated that the instruction is an anticipatory measure to shield the community, particularly young people, from the dangers of drug abuse and the long-term health consequences of using electronic cigarettes.

Through the instruction, Governor Bobby Nasution also requests that regents and mayors supervise and monitor the implementation of the vape ban in their respective areas. Civil servants, non-civil servants, and BUMD employees who violate the rule are to face disciplinary sanctions in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. Local leaders are also asked to create and install signs prohibiting the use of electronic cigarettes or vapes in strategic, easily visible areas.

Furthermore, regional heads are urged to call on community organisations, tourism businesses such as hotels and restaurants, labour unions, transportation companies, sports organisations, and hospital directors to enforce the ban on electronic cigarette use among their workers, employees, and members. The instruction follows a recommendation from the Head of the National Narcotics Agency of the Republic of Indonesia regarding a total ban on electronic cigarette use, based on a study indicating that vapes are susceptible to being used as a medium for the distribution of liquid narcotics and other hazardous substances.