All tobacco products are harmful to health.

Specialist Doctor 2 Le Van Chuc (photo), Deputy Director of the Provincial Center for Disease Control, affirmed: "All products such as cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, heated tobacco, and shisha are harmful to health" in an interview with Hau Giang Newspaper reporter about the harmful effects of tobacco.

Doctor, please tell me what substances are in cigarette smoke?

- Cigarette smoke contains 7,000 toxic chemicals and 69 carcinogens. Some toxic chemicals are Carbon monoxide (CO gas). CO gas in cigarette smoke reduces the ability of red blood cells to carry oxygen, reduces the concentration of oxygen in the blood, makes the blood thicker and makes the heart more tired when pumping blood throughout the body. It contributes to the formation of atherosclerotic plaques, related to heart disease and stroke.

Benzene, an industrial solvent refined from crude oil, is a carcinogen found in petroleum fumes and pesticides. Ammonia is found in growth stimulants and cleaning products. It is used to enhance the addictive effects of nicotine. Formaldehyde is a solution used in embalming. It irritates the nose, throat and eyes of smokers. In addition, Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) is a carcinogen found in diesel fuel and other combustion products;…

In particular, nicotine is an addictive substance found in cigarettes. Nicotine increases heart rate, constricts blood vessels in the heart, increases pulse and blood pressure. When nicotine in cigarette smoke reaches the brain (binding to nicotine in nerve cells in the brain), it causes effects on smokers such as: feeling refreshed, happy, increased cognitive activity. However, that feeling will quickly pass after a few minutes. When the concentration of nicotine in the body decreases, smokers will feel restless, stressed; unable to concentrate; sad, anxious; sleep disorders... therefore, to feel comfortable, smokers must continue smoking.

So is smoking electronic cigarettes, heated tobacco, and shisha harmful, doctor?

- The first thing that can be affirmed is that all electronic cigarette products, heated tobacco products, and shisha are harmful to health. Electronic cigarettes are battery-powered devices that operate by heating a dissolved liquid solution, creating gas for the user to inhale. The ingredients in electronic cigarettes affect health. Nicotine is an addictive substance that affects the respiratory system, cardiovascular system, and brain. Propylene glycol can form Propylene oxide, a carcinogen when heated. Glycerin/Glycerol, when heated and vaporized, forms Acrolein, which is harmful to the respiratory tract. Metals such as lead, silver, Cadmium, Chromium, mercury, and Nickel cause cancer.

Heated tobacco products are products that use an electronic device to heat a tobacco stick to a temperature high enough to create an inhalable aerosol containing the highly addictive substance nicotine and other chemicals, non-tobacco additives, and often a variety of flavors.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that heated tobacco produces toxic gases, containing many of the same toxins as regular cigarette smoke. Although heated at lower temperatures, it still produces chemicals similar to those in cigarette smoke, such as: strong respiratory irritants, carcinogens and metals.

Can you give us some general information about the worrying situation regarding smokers in our country, doctor?

- Vietnam is among the 15 countries with the highest number of smokers in the world . The smoking rate among men is 47.4%; among women, 1.4%, equivalent to 15.3 million adults in Vietnam who are smoking (on average, 1 in 2 men smokes). According to WHO statistics, in Vietnam, each year about 40,000 people die from diseases related to tobacco use.

If everyone does not take action to prevent the harmful effects of tobacco right now, it is estimated that by 2030, the number of deaths from diseases related to tobacco use could increase to 70,000 people/year.

Thank you doctor!

Performed by HONG DIEM

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