Challenges to public health

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the tobacco industry is seriously interfering with efforts to protect public health.

The tobacco industry: Challenges to public health

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the tobacco industry is seriously interfering with efforts to protect public health.

Leaked documents in Japan have revealed strategies aimed at undermining the health policies of governments , the WHO, and social activist organizations.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the tobacco industry is seriously interfering with efforts to protect public health.

These documents clearly show that the tobacco industry not only manipulates information but also seeks to promote new harmful products such as e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products.

In Vietnam, the Ministry of Health is proposing that the National Assembly pass a resolution banning the import and sale of these products.

Speaking before the National Assembly on November 11, Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan emphasized that tobacco companies design products with eye-catching packaging to attract children and teenagers – the most vulnerable groups.

Surveys show that the use of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products among Vietnamese teenagers is rapidly increasing. In 2023, more than 1,200 emergency hospitalizations were related to e-cigarettes, highlighting the serious consequences for public health.

According to the Ministry of Health, documents from Philip Morris Japan (PMJ) reveal that the industry's lobbying strategy included influencing scientists and politicians to maintain profits despite risks to public health.

Philip Morris International (PMI), the company behind IQOS, has stated that its product is intended for adults only. However, evidence suggests they are deliberately targeting children and teenagers.

The smoke from IQOS contains at least 80 types of toxic chemicals, including new substances with the potential to cause cancer. Claims that IQOS helps users quit smoking are unfounded. In fact, many users of this product continue to smoke.

The WHO warns that the tobacco industry's marketing campaigns and information manipulation could lead to a new tobacco pandemic, threatening global health.

The WHO Representative in Vietnam, Dr. Angela Pratt, emphasized the importance of a complete ban on new tobacco products and urged Vietnam to join the list of countries that have implemented such bans.

In Vietnam, approximately 15.3 million people are direct smokers, while millions more are affected by secondhand smoke. It is estimated that more than 84,500 deaths occur annually due to smoking and 18,800 deaths due to secondhand smoke. The economic burden from tobacco-related diseases amounts to 108 trillion VND, five times higher than the revenue from tobacco taxes.

The Ministry of Health has proposed increasing tobacco taxes as an effective solution to reduce consumption. According to Ms. Phan Thi Hai, Deputy Director of the Tobacco Harm Prevention Fund, increasing tobacco prices would be particularly effective for young people and low-income groups. Around the world, many countries have successfully reduced tobacco use rates through strong tax policies.

Source: https://baodautu.vn/nganh-cong-nghiep-thuoc-la-nhung-thach-thuc-doi-voi-suc-khoe-cong-dong-d231353.html