For the first time, e-cigarettes have been placed under specialized legal supervision as Chinese regulators set to enhance regulations of the growing industry.

In a draft amendment to China's Detailed Rules for the Implementation of the Tobacco Patent Sales Law, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the State Tobacco Monopoly Administration proposed bringing e-cigarettes in line with current regulations for tobacco products.

It said vaping products, like e-cigarettes, share core similarities as traditional tobacco products in its nature and way of consumption.