The head of Indonesia’s National Narcotics Agency (BNN), Suyudi Ario Seto, has proposed banning e-cigarettes and vape liquids. He wants to include this in the bill on narcotics and psychotropic substances currently being debated in parliament. He says the country is seeing rapid growth in a new way of distributing drugs — through vapes.
The agency’s arguments are quite specific. BNN’s laboratory tested 341 samples of vape liquids. Synthetic cannabinoids were found in 11, methamphetamine in one, and etomidate in another 23 — an anaesthetic that was added to Indonesia’s second-category narcotics list in 2025.
Suyudi believes that banning devices could reduce the spread of such liquids. But there is no single position in parliament. Abdullah, an Indonesian MP responsible for police and legislation matters, called BNN’s findings serious but suggests thoroughly reviewing everything first.
He agrees the problem is real and especially dangerous for young people. Vapes could become a new entry point into drug use, and a less noticeable one. However, he does not support rushed bans. The country has small businesses that make money selling vapes, and consumers for whom this is a legal product.
Fachmi Kurnia Firmansyah, head of the association of vape retailers, says the problem is not with all liquids but with the black market. According to him, businesses themselves help monitor distribution and report suspicious activity to the police, BNN and customs.
He stresses an important distinction: vaping and abuse are not the same thing. As evidence, he points to BNN inspections. Checks were carried out in dozens of licensed shops, and not a single one had liquids containing drugs.
This position is also backed by data from BNN’s own laboratory. Its representative, Supiyanto, previously said that drugs are found in illegal liquids without excise stamps. Such products are distributed through the shadow market, not through official channels.
Manufacturers have also joined the debate. Daniel Boy Purwanto, head of the e-liquid manufacturers’ association, said legal products do not contain banned substances and are ready for checks at any time.
How the discussion will end is still unclear. Indonesia has two options: a full ban or tighter market controls. In several Southeast Asian countries — including Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, Brunei, Laos and Cambodia — vapes are already banned.
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