Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - Sixty detained, warned over sales of ‘vapes’ or e-cigarettes

Sixty detained, warned over sales of ‘vapes’ or e-cigarettes

Content image - Phnom Penh Post
Police seized 19 sets of e-cigarettes, 215 sets of vaping paraphernalia and 1,417 bottles of vapour liquid – or “vape juice” – in the raids. POLICE

Sixty detained, warned over sales of ‘vapes’ or e-cigarettes

Some 60 people in the capital and Stung Treng province have been detained over the sale and use of e-cigarettes and warned against repeating the offence.

In Song, deputy director of the Ministry of Interior’s anti-drug department, told The Post on August 22 that officers had carried out 10 raids on e-cigarette businesses over the past month.

He said 12 people had been detained in swoops from June 23 to August 22, and had been reprimanded before signing contracts agreeing to cease the activities.

While the use of e-cigarettes – commonly known as “vapes” – and heated tobacco products (HTPs) is not illegal, he said their sale is contrary to a government directive prohibiting their import or commercial use.

In Phnom Penh, police seized 19 sets of e-cigarettes, 215 sets of vaping paraphernalia and 1,417 bottles of vapour liquid – or “vape juice” – in the raids.

“We seized the paraphernalia to be destroyed later,” he said.

In Stung Treng, deputy police chief Phay Raksmey said on August 22 that officers had raided a club in the provincial town’s Kandal village on the night of August 21.

The owner was questioned over the sale of e-cigarettes and revealed two others involved in the activity, who were later detained for selling vaping products from their clothes business.

He added that they were not involved in other crimes, so police had followed guidance from the National Authority for Combating Drugs (NACD), with the three signing contracts agreeing to stop selling e-cigarettes.

“We made them sign the contracts and let them off while we kept the seized items which included 527 e-cigarettes and 90 bottles of “vape juice”.

During the operation, the police detained 40 young men and women, who also signed contracts before being brought home to their parents.

The sale of e-cigarettes was discovered after a tip-off from the Cambodia Movement for Health (CMH), he noted.

Mom Kong, executive director of the Cambodia Movement for Health (CMH), said the use of e-cigarettes seriously affected health.

“Using e-cigarettes damages brain cells and can lead to severe lung damage because of the vapour they contain.

“Using e-cigarettes also carries a Covid-19 risk because young people share such smoking paraphernalia mouth-to-mouth,” he said.

MOST VIEWED

  • Joy as Koh Ker Temple registered by UNESCO

    Cambodia's Koh Ker Temple archaeological site has been officially added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List, during the 45th session of the World Heritage Committee held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on September 17. The ancient temple, also known as Lingapura or Chok Gargyar, is located in

  • Ream base allegations must end, urges official

    A senior government official urges an end to the allegations and suspicions surrounding the development of Cambodia’s Ream Naval Base, now that Prime Minister Hun Manet has addressed the issue on the floor of the 78th UN General Assembly (UNGA 78). Jean-Francois Tain, a geopolitical

  • Cambodia set to celebrate Koh Ker UNESCO listing

    To celebrate the inscription of the Koh Ker archaeological site on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, the Ministry of Cults and Religion has appealed to pagodas and places of worship to celebrate the achievement by ringing bells, shaking rattles and banging gongs on September 20. Venerable

  • CP denied registration documents by ministry

    The Ministry of Interior will not reissue registration documents to the Candlelight Party (CP). Following a September 21 meeting between ministry secretary of state Bun Honn and CP representatives, the ministry cited the fact that there is no relevant law which would authorise it to do

  • Cambodian diaspora laud Manet’s UN Assembly visit

    Members of the Cambodian diaspora are rallying in support of Prime Minister Hun Manet’s forthcoming visit to the 78th UN General Assembly (UNGA 78) in the US’ New York City this week. Their move is an apparent response to a recent call by self-exiled former

  • After three deferrals, Capital Gains Tax to take effect Jan 1, 2024

    The General Department of Taxation (GDT) will implement the Capital Gains Tax starting January 1, 2024 to after being deferred three times as industrial players warn that the implementation might have some negative impact on the property market growth, which is down due to the economic downturn.