It is necessary to put electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products on the list of prohibited business investments.

The Ministry of Health proposed to include the prohibition on investment and business in "electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products" in Article 6 of the draft Investment Law (amended) to comply with the provisions of Resolution No. 173/2024/QH15 of the National Assembly...

The Ministry of Health has sent a document to the Government Office regarding the draft Law on Investment (replacement) after the drafting agency received and explained the opinions of the National Assembly Standing Committee and the review opinions.

Accordingly, the Ministry of Health proposed to include the prohibition on investment and business of "electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products" in Article 6 of the draft Investment Law (amended) to comply with the provisions of Resolution No. 173/2024/QH15 of the National Assembly for the following reasons:

Resolution No. 173/2024/QH15 dated November 30, 2024 of the National Assembly on questioning activities at the 8th Session of the 15th National Assembly stipulates: "The National Assembly unanimously prohibits the production, trading, import, storage, transportation, and use of electronic cigarettes , heated tobacco, gases, addictive substances, and substances harmful to human health from 2025..." and in Decision No. 1665/QD-TTg dated August 5, 2025 of the Prime Minister promulgating the Plan to implement Resolution No. 173/2024/QH15 assigning the Ministry of Finance to " review and develop a Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Investment Law " and "Propose solutions to ensure consistency with legal provisions and the situation of law compliance of enterprises, ...".

The Ministry of Health proposed to include the prohibition on investment and business in "electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products" in Article 6 of the draft Investment Law (amended) to comply with the provisions of Resolution No. 173/2024/QH15 of the National Assembly.

Regarding Article 6 of the draft Investment Law (amended), in the discussion session on the afternoon of November 11 of the National Assembly, National Assembly Delegate Le Hoang Anh, from the Gia Lai National Assembly Delegation, proposed to add to Article 6 of the Draft Investment Law on prohibited investment and business sectors the following content: "Prohibiting investment and business in electronic cigarettes, heated tobacco products and other new generation tobacco products."

According to Delegate Le Hoang Anh, the fact that the current draft Law only includes traditional cigarettes in the list of conditional businesses, but leaves open, does not stipulate an absolute ban on investment and business in electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco, is a step backward in policy, potentially disastrous, beyond the normal medical framework, has become a security and social order issue... Specifically, it goes against the spirit of Resolution 72 of the Politburo on the work of protecting, caring for and improving people's health, which emphasizes the need for strong breakthroughs in health care.

Not including the prohibition in the draft Law also goes against the strong direction of General Secretary To Lam on protecting youth from drugs, social evils and addiction risks.

Article 6 does not stipulate a ban on e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products, which is also contrary to Resolution 173/2024/QH15, which stipulates that "The National Assembly unanimously prohibits the production, trading, import, storage, transportation, and use of e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, gases, and addictive substances that are harmful to human health from 2025"; at the same time, it does not carry out the tasks assigned by the Prime Minister in Decision No. 1665/QD-TTg dated August 5, 2025 on the plan to implement Resolution 173 of the National Assembly, which assigns the Ministry of Finance to "review and develop a Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Investment Law" and "propose solutions consistent with the provisions of law and the law compliance situation of enterprises".

National Assembly Delegate Le Hoang Anh, Gia Lai National Assembly Delegation proposed to add to Article 6 of the Draft Investment Law on Prohibited Investment and Business Sectors the following content: "Prohibiting investment and business in electronic cigarettes, heated tobacco products and other new generation tobacco products."

Regarding the risks of synthetic drugs and their consequences for security, order and social safety, Delegate Le Hoang Anh said that, in reality, electronic cigarette and heated tobacco devices are being systematically produced, supplied and used by drug criminals across the country to trade and use synthetic drugs, liquid synthetic cannabis, and addictive and hallucinogenic substances, which to date have not been effectively prevented or combated.

Electronic cigarette and heated tobacco devices have become perfect camouflage tools to commit crimes, bringing illegal substances into schools, public places, and young people without control. If we do not ban the sale of these devices, we are indirectly providing a "cover" for drug criminals targeting Vietnamese youth.

Delegate Le Hoang Anh also spoke about the destruction of the young generation, the destruction of the national race and the international trend when citing scientific evidence showing that: electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products both contain extremely addictive nicotine. They create new toxic substances, causing serious lung damage, pushing the health system into an overloaded state.

Countries that have recognized the risks have banned them. Countries in the ASEAN region such as Thailand, Singapore, and even powerful countries like the Russian Federation, the Russian State Duma is urgently drafting and will pass a law banning e-cigarettes at its fall session.

Delegates are concerned that if Vietnam does not ban it, we will become the "most permissive market", a "dumping ground" for banned products everywhere in the world.

Overview of National Assembly Delegation Group 5 in the discussion session on the afternoon of November 11.

According to Delegate Le Hoang Anh, putting e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products on the list of prohibited investment and business activities demonstrates the unity of will with the Party, and the highest responsibility of the National Assembly for the safety and health of the people, especially the young generation...

Source: https://suckhoedoisong.vn/can-phai-dua-thuoc-la-dien-tu-thuoc-la-nung-nong-vao-danh-muc-cam-dau-tu-kinh-doanh-169251111183339044.htm