The dangers of nicotine in cigarettes.

- In 2026, the World Health Organization (WHO) has chosen the theme for World No Tobacco Day as: "Unmasking the Deceptive Appeal – Acting to Combat Nicotine and Tobacco Addiction".

A poster by author Hoang Chung – Lang Son Provincial Center for Disease Control, won third prize in the "Creating Communication Products on a Smoke-Free Environment" competition organized by the Ministry of Health , 2025.

According to data from the Ministry of Health , Southeast Asia is facing a serious crisis as tobacco claims the lives of approximately 3.1 million people each year. Children are the most vulnerable, with about 50% of global exposure to secondhand smoke leading to over 65,000 child deaths annually. Currently, at least 40 million children aged 13-15 are using tobacco products, including 20 million who smoke cigarettes and 15 million who use e-cigarettes.

One of the 13 messages that the Vietnamese Ministry of Health has issued to promote World No Tobacco Day on May 31, 2026, and National No Tobacco Week from May 25-31, 2026, is: "Nicotine in tobacco is addictive and affects brain development, especially in children."

E-cigarettes contain nicotine, a highly addictive and toxic chemical. Nicotine causes acute poisoning affecting multiple organs, especially the cardiovascular, nervous, and respiratory systems, with symptoms similar to those of organophosphorus pesticide poisoning. In e-cigarettes, nicotine is usually added in higher concentrations than in regular cigarettes, in liquid or powder form, allowing for thousands of puffs per device. In particular, synthetic nicotine, often in salt form with adjusted pH to minimize respiratory irritation, is produced in large quantities, making users highly susceptible to poisoning and rapid nicotine addiction.

Documents from the Tobacco Harm Prevention Fund - Ministry of Health show that prolonged exposure to nicotine from smoking affects many different organs: causing atherosclerosis, narrowing of blood vessels, increased blood lipids, increased blood sugar, decreased elastin in lung parenchyma causing alveolar dilation, airway damage and bronchospasm; increased gastric acid secretion and decreased gastrointestinal motility causing gastroesophageal reflux, gastritis and peptic ulcers; increased albumin excretion in urine, kidney damage, glomerulonephritis, decreased glomerular filtration rate, increased renal artery narrowing…

Prolonged exposure to nicotine seriously affects reproductive health in both men and women and impacts future generations due to factors such as fetal growth retardation, stillbirth, ectopic pregnancy, intellectual disability, increased risk of asthma in newborns, and gastrointestinal, lung, pancreatic, and breast cancers.

Nicotine, even at low doses, can stimulate the central and peripheral nervous systems, causing exhilaration, euphoria, and increased heart rate or blood pressure; high doses of nicotine can lower heart rate, lower blood pressure, and cause depression. Furthermore, nicotine affects cell proliferation, disrupts the balance between antioxidants and free radicals, leading to health deterioration. Nicotine also influences tumor growth and metastasis, and increases tumor resistance to chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

Dr. Hoang Thi Yen, Deputy Head of the Department of Non-Communicable Disease Prevention and Nutrition, Provincial Center for Disease Control, stated: Nicotine negatively impacts adolescents more strongly than adults because the brains of those under 25 are still developing. Exposure to nicotine before this age permanently disrupts neural connections, causing birth defects during brain maturation and leaving permanent cognitive and behavioral sequelae later in life. Nicotine use in adolescence directly harms developing brain cells. This impairs attention span and cognitive abilities, reduces learning capacity, and significantly increases symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), cognitive disorders, reduced self-control, and mental disorders, leading to impulsive and reckless behavior. Clinical studies indicate that young people who use nicotine are twice as likely to suffer from depression, and their risk of developing mood disorders and anxiety increases by up to 2.4 times. These short-term and long-term consequences leave permanent scars on the younger generation.

Government Decree 90/2026/ND-CP, effective from May 15, 2026, stipulates: "A fine of VND 3 million to VND 5 million will be imposed for the use of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products." This is one of the government's policies to limit tobacco use and protect public health. To combat tobacco addiction, more community involvement is needed in raising awareness of the dangers of tobacco and nicotine, equipping people with knowledge and skills to resist the allure of tobacco products, and facilitating access to smoking cessation support measures.

Source: https://baolangson.vn/moi-nguy-tu-nicotine-trong-thuoc-la-5093393.html