When anti-vaping posters featuring edgy “Addicted Brain” et “Sick Heart” characters catch the eye on Singapore’s streets, one might mistake them for an avant-garde art exhibition. In reality, it’s part of a national anti-vaping campaign launched by the Singaporean government in collaboration with creative agency TBWA. Its target? The youth’s ambiguous fascination with the “trendiness,” “social appeal,” et “head rush” associated with e-cigarettes. This campaign rings like an alarm bell, signaling a profound shift in how the industry is perceived.
The Industry’s Perception Shift: From “Trendy Tech” à “Drug Conduit”
In the first half of 2025, Singapore detected 28 cases of e-cigarette cartridges containing etomidate (a ketamine-like drug), a near threefold increase year-on-year. Authorities have explicitly stated they are considering strengthening legislation and upgrading law enforcement across the entire chain of e-cigarette import, sale, and use. Behind this data lies a terrifying transformation within the industry – e-cigarettes are increasingly viewed not as mere nicotine alternatives, but as “drug conduits.”
This perceptual shift is not isolated. Malaysian police disclosed that 65% of seized e-liquids since 2023 contained synthetic drugs (like synthetic cannabinoids). The US, UK, Thailand, and others have also reported incidents of youth e-cigarette poisoning and “lung injury cluster reports.” A disturbing consensus is forming globally: e-cigarettes are not just “addiction tools,” but potentially “disguised drugs.” This is a devastating blow for brands, an insurmountable minefield for distributors and manufacturers, and it spells chain-reaction credit risks.
Global Risk Spread: The Credit Crisis of “Fabriqué en Chine”
As the world’s largest manufacturer of e-cigarettes, China once supplied over 90% of global electronic vaporizers and accessories. Yet, this former industrial strength now faces the shockwaves of a global safety logic overhaul. The emergence of “drug-laced e-cigarette” cases and deepening global negative perceptions pose a severe test for “Made in China.”
If e-cigarettes become widely seen as “drug conduits,” the entire industry’s chain of trust risks collapsing. Within this chain, manufacturing risks are particularly acute. A single misstep could trigger a domino effect, damaging the credibility of “Fabriqué en Chine” as a whole and threatening the industry’s survival.
New Regulatory Dimensions: A Three-Pronged Battle on “Finance + Drugs + Culture”
Global regulation of e-cigarettes has moved far beyond “customs clearance legality” into a new phase: a three-pronged battle on “Finance + Drugs + Culture.”
Finance: Suspicious transactions, tracing illicit funds, and freezing accounts are increasingly stringent. This means factories’ shipment paths will be traced backwards via “money flow,” and any financial irregularities could be audited, posing significant risks.
Drugs: Cartridges containing drugs and checks for substance abuse are key regulatory focuses. This demands pre-shipment ingredient registration and testing by manufacturers to ensure no banned substances, or face severe penalties.
Culture: Regulatory pressure on culture is equally critical. Youthful mockery of trendy aesthetics and anti-advertising phenomena necessitates cautious, compliant packaging visuals to prevent underage appeal. Regulators even leverage emerging channels like short videos to satirize influencer promotions, tightening cultural oversight.
The Path Forward for “Fabriqué en Chine”
Facing this harsh reality, Chinese manufacturing must proactively transform.
Upgrade “Compliant Export” à “Credible Globalization”
Previously, going global meant clearing customs and finding overseas channels. Aujourd'hui, manufacturers must also ensure ingredient testing, third-party traceability certification, distributor credit vetting, and adherence to sales platform compliance standards (copy, packaging). Without full-chain compliance, it’s not “low-barrier export,” but high-risk smuggling. Only “Credible Globalization” ensures a stable international footing.
While many factories still compete on price, the new regulatory landscape means buyers prioritize export compliance declarations, non-toxic ingredient proofs, and alerts on high-risk countries/banned substances. An ODM factory’s competitiveness now hinges not on profit margins, but on controlling brand-associated liability. The shift must be from pure price competition to integrated “Ingredients + Accountability” competition.
Rebuild “Cultural Comprehension”: Master Explanation, Not Just Manufacturing
When anti-vaping posters mimic trendy collectible packaging, and short videos become regulators’ tools, Chinese factories can no longer be culturally oblivious. Unawareness risks creating “coolest but most illegal” products. Solutions include deploying “Culture/Regulation Observers” in key markets, establishing cross-border local feedback mechanisms, and collaborating with brands to build “Global Compliant Marketing Models.”
Conclusion
Regulation isn’t destruction; it’s a pressure test for industrial upgrading. Amidst the e-cigarette industry’s trust crisis, “Fabriqué en Chine” has an opportunity to pioneer a transformation model. Survival won’t favor the best OEM players, but the manufacturers most capable of sharing risks and rebuilding credibility.
The goal for Chinese manufacturing should not be making the cheapest e-cigarettes, but becoming the most credible solution provider. Through proactive transformation, enhancing product quality and compliance, and rebuilding industry trust, “Fabriqué en Chine” can achieve sustainable development within the global e-cigarette market’s evolution and secure its future.
