Vietnam’s E-cigarette Usage Rate: 3.6% Among Adults And 8.3% Among Teenagers, A Ban Is Planned
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Vietnam's e-cigarette usage rate: 3.6% among adults and 8.3% among teenagers, a ban is planned
Vietnamese media recently reported that the Vietnamese Ministry of Health has recently put forward an important proposal to ban the production, sales, import and advertising of e-cigarettes to protect public health.
The following are the main contents and rationale of the proposal:
1. Lack of legal management mechanism: Vietnam currently lacks a suitable legal framework to manage and prevent new tobacco products, especially e-cigarettes.
2. E-cigarette use: Among teenagers aged 13 to 17, the use rate of e-cigarettes increased from 2.6% in 2019 to 8.3% in 2023. Among adults, the use rate of e-cigarettes will be 3.6% in 2023, much higher than the 0.2% rate in 2015.
3. Current law does not cover new tobacco products: The current Tobacco Control Law does not clearly provide for new generation tobacco products, such as e-cigarettes and heated tobacco, which use different production processes and accessories.
4. Impact on public health: While regular cigarette use has declined, the popularity of e-cigarettes, especially among young people, could undermine these gains.
5. Difficulties in supervision and enforcement: Due to unclear definitions, there are currently many difficulties in the management and enforcement of these products. Major violations include smuggling, trading in unsourced products and mixing e-cigarettes with illegal drugs and other dangerous substances.
6. Recommendation of the Ministry of Health: The Ministry of Health proposes to pass a resolution at the October 2024 Congress session to explicitly prohibit the production, sale, import and advertising of new tobacco products. This includes the definition of e-cigarettes, heated tobacco and other new tobacco products, the specific provisions of the ban, and the responsibilities of relevant agencies and organizations.
According to reports, the purpose of this proposal is to strengthen the protection of public health, especially to reduce young people's exposure to and use of these harmful products.
