University of Public Health and VinFuture Foundation cooperate to prevent and control e-cigarettes in schools

The two sides are working together to develop an effective, science-based prevention and control intervention model, promoting close coordination between the health andeducation sectors to prevent the increasing use of e-cigarettes in schools.

The University of Public Health and VinFuture Foundation announced a cooperation to implement the "E-cigarette prevention and control intervention program in secondary schools in major cities in Vietnam"

In the first year, the two sides will develop a comprehensive intervention program, suitable for the practical context in Vietnam, through promoting cooperation with the REACH research group led by Professor Bonnie Halpern-Felsher (Stanford University, USA). The program will also organize thematic exchanges with the participation of health experts, expected to reach thousands of students to raise awareness about the harmful effects of e-cigarettes.

Initially, the program will be piloted at a middle school in Hanoi , then expanded to eight schools in major cities in the next two years.

The program was launched in the context of the Vietnamese National Assembly passing Resolution 173/2024/QH15 in November 2024, officially banning the production, trading, import, storage, transportation and use of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products from 2025. Vietnam is also the sixth country in the ASEAN region to apply a complete ban on new generation tobacco products.

However, enforcement remains challenging due to the lack of comprehensive intervention programs and a consistent enforcement system, while e-cigarette use among adolescents is rapidly increasing. According to the Ministry of Health, in just two years, the rate of students aged 13 to 15 using e-cigarettes increased from 3.5% in 2022 to 8.0% in 2023.

Prof. Dr. Hoang Van Minh, Rector of the University of Public Health, expressed his expectations for the positive impacts that the project will bring.

Emphasizing the urgency of the Program, Project Manager, Prof. Dr. Hoang Van Minh - Rector of the University of Public Health said: "Through the development of an intervention model based on scientific evidence in secondary schools, the project will lay a pioneering and timely foundation for the development of comprehensive policies and programs on tobacco control in general and e-cigarettes in particular."

Dr. Le Thai Ha, Executive Director of VinFuture Foundation, also shared: "The cooperation of scientists, medical experts and educators will create positive impacts, protect the health and future of the young generation of Vietnam, and contribute to building effective policies in the field of electronic cigarette prevention."

The project is a practical result of the InnovaConnect workshop co-organized by the University of Public Health and VinFuture Foundation in September 2024.

The cooperation program is also a practical result of the InnovaConnect scientific conference co-organized by the University of Public Health and VinFuture Foundation in September 2024 on the topic "Prevention of new tobacco harms".

InnovaConnect is a series of events connecting science between leading international experts and prestigious domestic schools and research institutes, thereby leading to practical scientific cooperation, entering life and creating real benefits for the community.

Piloted since 2024, InnovaConnect has so far organized connections between the world's leading experts in the fields of semiconductors, environmental science and public health with key universities in the Hanoi area, such as: Hanoi University of Science and Technology, University of Science - Vietnam National University, Hanoi and University of Public Health.

In 2025, InnovaConnect has announced its nationwide expansion. Interested parties can visit the VinFuture Foundation website at https://vinfutureprize.org/vi/tin-tuc/2025-innovaconnect/ to download the necessary registration forms and documents. The registration deadline begins on January 2, 2025 and will take place 4 times a year, on January 2, April 2, July 2, and October 2. Partner organizations have 60 days to complete the application and send the registration (in soft copy) to the email address: secretariat@vinfutureprize.org.

Source: https://phunuvietnam.vn/truong-dai-hoc-y-te-cong-cong-va-quy-vinfuture-hop-tac-phong-chong-va-kiem-soat-thuoc-la-dien-tu-hoc-duong-20250508162247624.htm