Challenges to public health

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the tobacco industry is seriously interfering with public health efforts.

The Tobacco Industry: Challenges to Public Health

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the tobacco industry is seriously interfering with public health efforts.

Leaked documents in Japan have revealed strategies to undermine health policies by governments, the WHO and social activist organizations.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the tobacco industry is seriously interfering with public health efforts.

These documents make clear that the tobacco industry not only manipulated information but also sought to promote new harmful products such as e-cigarettes and heated tobacco.

In Vietnam, the Ministry of Health is proposing that the National Assembly pass a resolution banning the import and sale of these products.

Speaking before the National Assembly on November 11, Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan emphasized that tobacco companies design products with eye-catching designs to attract children and teenagers – the most vulnerable groups.

Surveys show that the use of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products among Vietnamese adolescents is increasing rapidly. In 2023, more than 1,200 emergency room admissions were related to e-cigarettes, indicating serious consequences for public health.

Also according to the Ministry of Health, documents from Philip Morris Japan (PMJ) show that the industry's lobbying strategy includes influencing scientists and politicians to maintain profits despite risks to public health.

Philip Morris International (PMI) – the company behind IQOS – has claimed that its product is intended for adults only. However, evidence suggests that it is deliberately aimed at children and teenagers.

The smoke from IQOS contains at least 80 toxic chemicals, including new substances that are known to cause cancer. Claims that IQOS helps users quit smoking are unfounded. In fact, many users of the product continue to smoke.

WHO warns that tobacco industry marketing and information manipulation campaigns could lead to a new tobacco epidemic, threatening global health.

WHO Representative in Vietnam, Dr. Angela Pratt, emphasized the importance of a complete ban on new tobacco products, and called on Vietnam to join the list of countries that have already implemented the ban.

In Vietnam, about 15.3 million people directly smoke, while millions of others are affected by second-hand smoke. It is estimated that each year there are more than 84,500 deaths due to smoking and 18,800 deaths due to second-hand smoke. The economic burden from tobacco-related diseases is up to VND108,000 billion, 5 times higher than the revenue from tobacco taxes.

The Ministry of Health has proposed increasing tobacco taxes as an effective solution to reduce consumption. According to Ms. Phan Thi Hai, Deputy Director of the Tobacco Harm Prevention Fund, increasing tobacco prices will be especially effective for young people and low-income groups. Around the world, many countries have succeeded in reducing tobacco use rates thanks to strong tax policies.

Source: https://baodautu.vn/nganh-cong-nghiep-thuoc-la-nhung-thach-thuc-doi-voi-suc-khoe-cong-dong-d231353.html