Many students are poisoned by electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products.

On April 24, Associate Professor, Dr. Luong Ngoc Khue, Director of the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment Management ( Ministry of Health ), signed and issued an official dispatch to the Department of Health of provinces and cities on strengthening communication about the harmful effects of electronic cigarettes, heated tobacco, and shisha.

According to the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment Management, through the reflection of medical examination and treatment facilities,educational institutions and mass media, it shows that the use of electronic cigarette products (Electronic Nicotine Delivery - ENDs) and heated tobacco products (Heated Tobacco Products - HTPs) is currently increasing rapidly, especially among students.

Nhiều học sinh bị ngộ độc thuốc lá điện tử, thuốc lá nung nóng - Ảnh 1.

Group of students hospitalized after using electronic cigarettes. Photo: Bai Chay Hospital ( Quang Ninh )

Many students have had to be hospitalized due to nicotine poisoning and the solutions contained in these products. These products are currently not allowed to be imported, traded and circulated legally in Vietnam.

Electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products, in addition to the same harmful effects as regular cigarettes, also pose potential risks and give rise to social evils, especially the use of drugs and other addictive substances, which negatively affect the health and lifestyle of adolescents, while causing immediate and long-term health, economic and social harm.

In order to promptly prevent the use of electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products, recently, the Tobacco Harm Prevention Fund (PCTH) - Ministry of Health has coordinated with the Ministry of Education and Training, the Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, international organizations, media agencies and related units to carry out many propaganda activities about the harmful effects of these products.

To continue to strengthen communication to prevent the use of tobacco in general and new tobacco products, the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment Management recommends that the Department of Health implement a number of contents, specifically:

Advise the Provincial People's Committee to issue a document directing departments, branches, and media agencies of the province to regularly propagate the harmful effects of regular cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, and heated tobacco products and promptly issue regulations to prevent the use of these products in agencies, offices, and especially in educational and training facilities; strengthen inspection activities and strictly handle cases of buying, selling, and using electronic cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and shisha.

Nhiều học sinh bị ngộ độc thuốc lá điện tử, thuốc lá nung nóng - Ảnh 2.

Authorities have discovered and seized many types of electronic cigarettes containing drugs. Photo: Thanh Long

Coordinate with media agencies and relevant units to promptly disseminate information on the harmful effects of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products to civil servants, public employees, workers at agencies, units, and local people. Integrate propaganda on the harmful effects of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products into meetings, seminars, conferences, and events of agencies, units, and the community.

Strengthen coordination with the Department of Education and Training to provide information and widely disseminate information about the harmful effects of new tobacco products to students, staff, and teachers at educational institutions in the management area.

At medical facilities, local health departments direct units to actively provide information about the harmful effects of new tobacco products to patients and their families.

The Ministry of Health said that the use of new tobacco products such as e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products among young people is on the rise. Currently, the rate of e-cigarette smoking among people over 15 years old increased from 0.2% in 2015 to 3.6% in 2020, especially concentrated in the 15-24 age group with a rate of 7.3%. In the student age group from 13-15 years old, the rate of e-cigarette use is 3.5%, of which male students are 4.3% and female students are 2.8%.

The representative of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Vietnam informed that electronic cigarette and heated tobacco products contain nicotine, there are about 15,500 types of flavorings used, many of which are toxic, affect health, can cause fire and explosion and mix other substances into the solution (drugs, marijuana).

WHO recommends that e-cigarettes are more harmful than traditional cigarettes. They can cause early health effects or cause interstitial lung disease. In addition, e-cigarettes are not effective in helping people quit smoking conventional cigarettes.

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