In view of the serious harm caused by e-cigarettes to young people, the Ministry of Health of Vietnam proposes to strictly deal with the sale of e-cigarettes.
The Vietnamese Ministry of Health issued a notice to the Ministry of Education and Training, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Information and Media, and the Ministry of Public Security on May 5, stating that products such as electronic cigarettes, heating tobacco, and hookah have appeared in the Vietnamese market in recent years.
These products have not yet obtained import, operation and sales licenses, but their trading and publicity, especially online sales and publicity, are very common. In addition, due to the variety of styles and attractive tastes, these products have attracted the attention of young people, and their users are growing rapidly.
Tran Van Tsun, Deputy Minister of Health of Vietnam, said that the most dangerous thing is that a small number of people dope e-cigarettes with stimulants and new drugs, and users are easily poisoned and life-threatening.
According to the 2019 World Health Organization (WHO) survey results, the e-cigarette use rate among the 15-17-year-old population in Vietnam is 2.6%. The results of the 2022 Student Tobacco Use Survey show that the rate of e-cigarette use among students aged 13-15 is 3.5%.
The WHO also stated that there are currently as many as 20,000 flavoring additives in various e-cigarettes. Although the impact of these flavoring agents on health has not been comprehensively studied, limited data show that most flavoring agents have long-term use. Both may pose health risks.