Electronic cigarettes are destroying young people - Illustration: NAM TRAN
Despite a ban issued by the National Assembly from 2024, e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products are still being sold on the market. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that these two products be included in the list of prohibited business investment sectors.
Electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco need to be included in the prohibited business investment industry.
In the context that the draft Investment Law (amended) is being considered by the National Assembly but has not yet listed these two products in the list of prohibited investment and business sectors, the World Health Organization (WHO) in Vietnam continues to emphasize the recommendation to completely ban their trading, production and import.
WHO Representative in Vietnam, Dr. Angela Pratt, emphasized that since voting to ban e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products a year ago, Vietnam has been recognized as a pioneering country. This is a decision of great significance to public health, especially in protecting the future of the younger generation.
According to Ms. Pratt, for the National Assembly 's ban to be effectively implemented, the amended Investment Law needs to add prohibited business investment sectors for e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products without any exceptions, including allowing production for export.
This is to maintain the achievements of protecting public health, while avoiding creating legal loopholes that allow products to return to the domestic market.
WHO also cited evidence showing the initial positive impact of the ban in Vietnam.
According to the Poison Control Center of Bach Mai Hospital, the number of emergency cases related to e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products, especially among young people, has decreased by nearly 70% in the 10 months after the ban was issued, compared to the same period in the previous period. Advertising and PR activities for these products by celebrities have also almost disappeared.
To maintain the achievements that have been made, WHO recommends that the National Assembly continue to be consistent in its policy by including new tobacco businesses in the prohibited list of the Investment Law; and not accept the "production for export" exception, as this creates risks of smuggling, leakage of goods into the country and weakens the scientific basis of the ban.
Electronic cigarettes are toxic and development is discouraged.
Delegate Le Hoang Anh (Gia Lai) said that the draft Investment Law's failure to prohibit the trading of electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products is a "step backward in policy", going against the Party's policy and Resolution 173 of the National Assembly.
"We cannot give in to any commercial pressure that could harm public health. This is not a technical management issue, but a national development orientation," he stressed.
Agreeing with this opinion, delegate Nguyen Lan Hieu (Gia Lai) also said that up to now, the World Health Organization has confirmed that electronic cigarettes, heated cigarettes and traditional cigarettes we often smoke are equally harmful, so their development is not encouraged.
"However, e-cigarettes are much more dangerous cigarettes, not tobacco but a solution. That solution is usually nicotine and flavorings. Because it is a solution, no one can control what is put in it, it could be nicotine or opium, addictive drugs, or very dangerous liquid drugs.
According to Dr. Nguyen Trung Nguyen, Director of the Poison Control Center of Bach Mai Hospital, the name "essential oil" is actually a mixture of synthetic chemicals, mixed arbitrarily.
The laboratory has discovered many new generation synthetic drugs with complex chemical structures such as 5F-ADB, MDMB-4en-PINACA. These are the main causes of severe poisoning cases, because they are extremely toxic substances that have never been fully studied on humans.
WHO said that currently 42 countries have banned e-cigarettes and 24 countries have banned heated tobacco products. In the ASEAN region, 5 countries including Vietnam, Singapore, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia have completely banned e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products.
Malaysia will impose a ban from 2026. Current international best practice is for countries to enact bans consistently across their legal systems, and not allow exceptions for production for export.
WHO and health experts all agree that it is necessary to issue a consistent and synchronous ban in legal documents and completely eliminate the mindset of producing for export this harmful health item.
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/who-thuc-giuc-viet-nam-cam-tuyet-doi-thuoc-la-dien-tu-va-nung-nong-trong-luat-dau-tu-20251126133713258.htm
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