Proposal for National Assembly to ban e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products

On the afternoon of October 29th, the Ministry of Health organized a workshop to announce the harmful effects of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products.

On the afternoon of October 29th, the Ministry of Health organized a workshop to announce the harmful effects of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products.

The Deputy Minister of Health stated that active and passive smoking are the second leading risk factors for death and disease.

It is estimated that in 2022, the health damage to society caused by active and passive smoking (including medical expenses, lost productivity due to illness and premature death from smoking) accounted for 1.14% of GDP, equivalent to VND 108.7 trillion. This cost is five times higher than the revenue generated from tobacco taxes.

The Deputy Minister of Health delivered a speech at the meeting.

According to Deputy Minister Tran Van Thuan, in recent years, many new tobacco products have appeared on the market. Although they are not yet permitted for import, advertising, use, and sale, the rate of use of these products in Vietnam has been increasing rapidly, especially among junior and senior high school students in urban areas.

Authorities have warned about the use of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products for illegal drug trafficking and consumption.

Hospitals have recorded hospitalizations related to e-cigarettes, including cases of poisoning from synthetic drugs found in the cigarettes.

The World Health Organization (WHO) warns that all new tobacco products are harmful, containing various toxins that cause cancer, cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and more.

Therefore, the emergence of new tobacco users increases the risk of drug and other addictive substance use, leading to a burden of disease and exacerbating public health, security, and environmental issues.

Vietnam has signed the WHO Framework for Tobacco Control. Within the framework of the convention, parties are called upon to implement controls to prevent and encourage cessation and reduction of tobacco use in all forms.

"The aforementioned situation necessitates strong action from Vietnam to prevent new tobacco products. The immediate priority is to propose that the National Assembly issue a Resolution banning the production, trading, import, advertising, and use of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products," Deputy Minister Tran Van Thuan emphasized.

The Ministry of Health is currently drafting amendments to several articles of the Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harm. Simultaneously, it is implementing the conclusions of the National Assembly's Social Affairs Committee at the session on the responsibility of state management in preventing and controlling the harm of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products, which assigned the Ministry of Health to lead and coordinate research and assessment of the harms of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products in 2024, in order to publish official information on the harms of these products.

Deputy Minister Tran Van Thuan said that the Ministry of Health has assigned the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment Management, in collaboration with the Institute of Health Strategy and Policy, the Legal Department, and the Tobacco Harm Prevention Fund, to research, compile, and analyze domestic and international reports on the harmful effects of new tobacco products, and thereby propose preventive measures.

The Ministry of Health officially announced the harmful effects of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products, based on the aforementioned research results, to agencies of the National Assembly, the Government, ministries, departments, and localities nationwide.

At the same time, it is requested that ministries and agencies widely disseminate information about the harmful effects of new tobacco products, e-cigarettes, and heated tobacco products to the public, especially young people, contributing to raising public awareness of the harms and the need to prevent the use of these products.

Sharing information about violations related to e-cigarettes and new tobacco products, Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Duy Trung, Deputy Head of Department 5, Anti-Drug Crime Department, Ministry of Public Security, said that in 2022, the police nationwide detected and handled 178 cases/215 individuals related to e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products (including 43 cases/71 individuals prosecuted for drug-related crimes; 1 case/1 individual prosecuted for smuggling; and 105 cases/104 individuals handled administratively for trading goods without a clear origin).

In 2023, the police nationwide detected and handled 439 cases/516 individuals related to e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products (including 86 cases/155 individuals prosecuted for drug-related crimes, 1 case/1 individual prosecuted for smuggling, 1 case/1 individual prosecuted for producing and trading counterfeit goods, and the remainder being administrative penalties for trading goods without a clear origin).

In the first six months of 2024, regarding e-cigarettes containing narcotics, the police nationwide discovered, arrested, and prosecuted 35 cases/83 defendants; and handled 24 cases involving 31 individuals related to the buying, selling, transporting, storing, and using e-cigarettes containing narcotics.

New-generation cigarettes are not only being smuggled into Vietnam, but businesses are also importing components and e-liquids and organizing large-scale processing and production in Vietnam.

On behalf of the Ministry of Education and Training, Mr. Nguyen Huy Nho, Deputy Director of the Department of Physical Education, also highlighted the reality of the sharp increase in the use of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products among students in recent years.

Accordingly, the Ministry conducted a survey on the use of new tobacco products among students (in 2019, 2021, and 2023) aged 13-17, showing a rapid increase in the use of new tobacco products among students over the years. While the percentage of students using e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products was 2.6% in 2019, it had increased to 8% in 2023.

We are very concerned about students using e-cigarettes because it not only seriously affects their physical health, but it also has a significant impact on their mental health.

"The mixing of drugs with new tobacco products is related to lifestyle choices if children become addicted to these new tobacco products. This can lead to deviant behaviors such as lying and petty theft... The education sector is very concerned about this issue," Mr. Nho stated.

Source: https://baodautu.vn/de-xuat-quoc-hoi-cam-thuoc-la-dien-tu-thuoc-la-nung-nong-d228672.html