Vape Case Containing Narcotics: Government Urged to Focus on Improving Oversight System
The phenomenon of narcotics abuse through electronic cigarettes or vapes in Indonesia spotlights the weaknesses in monitoring the circulation of prohibited substances, rather than being solely the fault of the products as a whole.
Executive Director of the Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (Indef), Esther Sri Astuti, emphasised that the government and law enforcement authorities need to focus on improving the oversight system, rather than implementing a total ban on vapes.
Esther assessed that the discovery of narcotics in illegal vape liquids indicates gaps in the oversight system. She stressed that prohibitions should be directed at products proven to contain prohibited substances, rather than generalising to all vape products circulating in the market.
“If there is narcotic content, what should be banned is the content. Do not assume all vapes contain narcotics,” she stated in a written release on Friday, 17 April 2026.
According to her, out of all the products circulating, only a small portion are problematic. Therefore, improving oversight is key to preventing dangerous products from reaching the public. She assessed that weak oversight could open opportunities for illegal goods that pose risks to public health and safety.
Previously, the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) also stated that legal vape products sold officially in the market were not found to contain narcotics. This reinforces the view that the main issue lies in the circulation of unmonitored illegal products.
Esther also warned that a total ban policy could lead to unintended consequences. She cited Singapore’s experience, which has banned vapes since 2020. However, based on the Statista Consumer Insights 2023 survey, around 20 percent of respondents in that country admitted to still using vapes, despite the ban.
This phenomenon, she said, shows that bans are not always effective in stopping consumption, but rather can drive the circulation of uncontrolled illegal products. In such conditions, the state loses control over product quality as well as potential economic revenues.
In Indonesia, the electronic cigarette industry is a developing sector with a legal basis. This industry involves many business actors and absorbs a significant amount of labour. Esther reminded that sudden ban policies could trigger economic impacts, including increased unemployment and business uncertainty.