The production, import, circulation and use of electronic cigarettes should be banned immediately.

Regarding the harmful effects as well as the increasing use of electronic cigarettes by young people, the Journalist & Public Opinion Newspaper published the opinion of Economic Expert Vu Vinh Phu, former Deputy Director of the Hanoi Department of Trade:

I attended a conference on e-cigarettes at the end of 2022 in Hanoi. At this conference, delegates from schools, hospitals, economic and trade experts, and press reporters heard about the current situation of e-cigarettes in the Vietnamese market, which is extremely serious, harmful to the health of the race, the complexity of managing the import of this item, and even related to drugs and other social evils...

Concluding the workshop, delegates agreed that it is necessary to immediately ban the production, import, distribution and use of electronic cigarettes in the Vietnamese market in 2023. This is certainly supported by public opinion, because it is impossible to put toxic products into use in the domestic market for any subject, while we are looking to improve the health of the community.

must immediately stop the production, import, circulation and use of electronic cigarettes, picture 1. — Economist Vu Vinh Phu, former Deputy Director of Hanoi Department of Trade.

However, up to now, in mid-May 2023, I see that the health sector and other related sectors have not taken drastic actions to implement this recommendation. We have been struggling for many years to limit and eventually ban the use of all types of tobacco in our country. According to the Ministry of Health, in the past 10 years, the smoking rate among consumers has only decreased by about 2.1%, a figure that shows the very low effectiveness of implementing the Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms. In recent years, the import, distribution and use of electronic cigarettes (temporarily called new generation cigarettes) have appeared. Thus, difficulties are piled on difficulties, these evils continue to penetrate more and more into each person using this type of product. The slogans written on cigarette packs "Smoking is toxic" have almost no effect in reminding and deterring.

Nowadays, people more or less clearly see that the use of electronic cigarettes on the street and in public places is not an isolated case. Schools are struggling to detect the use among students, it is important to note that when used, it not only causes a decline in the health of the smoker but also affects those around them.

must immediately stop the production, import, circulation and use of electronic cigarettes, picture 2. — Given the unpredictable harms of e-cigarettes and the rapid increase in e-cigarette use among young people, especially students, it is necessary to immediately ban the production, import, distribution and use of e-cigarettes. (Illustration photo).

Every year, we have to spend a lot of money to treat diseases related to tobacco; the race and health of Vietnamese people will decline if we do not promptly prevent this evil.

Faced with the above situation, I reiterate the recommendation at the above conference that the responsible agencies should promptly advise and propose an immediate ban on the production, import, distribution and use of electronic cigarettes. After the ban is in place, it is recommended that the entire political system get involved, and that specialized management agencies inspect and strictly handle violations and repeat violations. It is necessary to apply many forms from advocacy, education, persuasion to inspection, detection and handling according to current laws.

I believe that if we succeed in this work, we will have done a very humane thing for the entire community. The slogan “All for the health and happiness of the people” is the motto of all Vietnamese people. We hope that the results of the campaign to prevent and combat “new generation” tobacco will soon be successful in 2023.

Economist Vu Vinh Phu

Former Deputy Director of Hanoi Department of Trade

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