Vietnam Ministry Of Health: New Tobacco Products Are As Harmful As Traditional Cigarettes

Vietnam Ministry of Health: New tobacco products are as harmful as traditional cigarettes

The Vietnamese Ministry of Health denied the claim that new tobacco products are less harmful at the seminar, emphasizing that e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products are just as harmful as traditional cigarettes, and reiterated that they will not accept the influence of the interests of the tobacco industry.

According to Vietnamnet on October 5, at a seminar held on October 3, the Vietnamese Ministry of Health firmly denied the claim that new tobacco products are less harmful than traditional cigarettes.

Nguyen Trong Khoa, deputy director of the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment under the Ministry of Health, pointed out that tobacco companies have been promoting these products as safer alternatives to traditional smoking. However, Nguyen Trong Khoa stressed that there is no scientific evidence to support the claim that e-cigarettes or heated tobacco products can reduce harm or help quit smoking.

Nguyen Trong Khoa specifically pointed out that e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products contain high concentrations of nicotine, which may cause addiction and be harmful to health. These products also contain harmful chemicals that can cause cancer, similar to traditional cigarettes.

Regarding the claim that e-cigarettes are 95% less harmful than traditional cigarettes, Nguyen Trong Khoa said that this was a conclusion drawn from a study funded by the tobacco industry and lacked scientific credibility.

The report shows that Vietnam has been successful in reducing the use of traditional cigarettes among teenagers. The smoking rate among adolescents aged 13 to 17 fell from 5.36% in 2013 to 2.78% in 2019. In the 13 to 15 age group, the cigarette use rate fell from 2.5% in 2014 to 1.9% in 2022.

However, the use of new tobacco products, especially e-cigarettes, has increased rapidly. A recent survey found that the use of e-cigarettes among students aged 13 to 15 increased from 3.5% to 8% between 2022 and 2023.

To this end, the Ministry of Health reiterated that it does not accept any form of financial or material interests from the tobacco industry so as not to influence public health policies. The department pledged to continue to enforce tobacco control laws to address the increasing threats posed by new tobacco products.