Strengthening management of electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products

Illustration photo. Source: Internet

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has just signed and issued Official Dispatch No. 47/CD-TTg on strengthening the management of electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products.

The telegram stated that in recent years, implementing the Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms, the Government and the Prime Minister have issued many documents directing activities to prevent and control tobacco harms. Ministries, branches and localities have also actively implemented activities under the direction of the Government and the Prime Minister. The work to prevent and control tobacco harms has initially achieved encouraging results, the rate of regular cigarette use has decreased by an average of 0.5% per year among men.

However, recently, electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products have appeared on the market and the use of these products has many complicated developments. The rate of use tends to increase rapidly in the community, especially among young people, and has a negative impact on the health of users.

To strengthen control and promptly prevent the harmful effects of using e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products, the Prime Minister requests:

The Ministry of Health shall provide information, education and communication on the harmful effects of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products to units, organizations and individuals under its management; research and propose to issue, within its authority, or submit to competent authorities for issuance of solutions to manage e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products.

The Ministry of Finance directs customs forces to strictly inspect and control the transportation of smuggled e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products through border gates and customs-controlled areas, and establish special projects to combat e-cigarette and heated tobacco smuggling rings and gangs.

The Ministry of National Defense directed border guards to increase patrols and controls in border areas, trails, and openings to promptly detect and handle subjects smuggling, storing, and transporting smuggled e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products.

The Ministry of Public Security directed police forces at all levels to strengthen investigation, grasp the situation, establish special projects, focus on fighting and destroying networks, gangs, ringleaders, traders, and mixers of banned substances into e-cigarette solutions to prosecute before the law.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade directs market management forces to strengthen domestic market management, regularly inspect and strictly handle organizations and individuals trading, storing and transporting smuggled e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products.

The Ministry of Information and Communications, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education and Training, Vietnam Television, the Voice of Vietnam, the Vietnam News Agency and the People's Committees of provinces and centrally run cities direct press agencies to communicate and propagate the harmful effects of electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products.

The National Steering Committee against smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods (National Steering Committee 389) directly directs the Steering Committees 389 of ministries, branches and localities to monitor, urge and inspect functional forces in implementing this Official Dispatch of the Prime Minister.

The People's Committees of provinces and centrally run cities shall direct local authorities at all levels and functional forces to regularly inspect, examine, handle violations, and strictly handle acts of smuggling, transporting, storing, and trading in e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products that are not licensed for trading or use in the Vietnamese market; and strengthen information, education, and communication about the harmful effects of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products to the public.

DUC BINH

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