Experts and Officials Debate on "New Tobacco - Manage or Ban"

According to a report from VIETTimes on May 20, experts and officials discussed various aspects of the importation, production, and distribution of heated tobacco products at a forum titled "New Tobacco- Manage or Ban." The majority of experts and participants do not agree with the Ministry of Industry's suggestion to provide pilot permits for these kinds of cigarettes, citing concerns about the potential impact on human health, particularly among the younger generation.

Angela Pratt, representative of the World Health Organization in Vietnam, highlighted the significant health impact of new nicotine and tobacco products, including e-cigarettes and heated tobacco. The smoke produced by these products contains various toxic substances, which may lead to cancer, heart disease, and other chronic lung diseases. Furthermore, she warned that there is a risk of battery explosions in these products, which could result in serious injuries to users.

She pointed out that these products often attract young people to try them through appealing packaging and product design, as well as using enticing flavors. These targeted marketing strategies pose a serious risk to young people becoming new nicotine addicts.

Dr. Angela told reporters that worldwide experience indicates it is difficult to effectively regulate these products because manufacturers constantly change them to evade regulations. This includes altering nicotine content, chemicals used, battery power, and flavors. For these reasons, the World Health Organization believes that a total ban on these products is the only choice that aligns with the Vietnamese government's priority of protecting public health, as well as with Central Committee Resolution No. 20, which emphasizes that "health is the most valuable asset of every citizen and society as a whole.

Dr. Angela emphasized the importance of recognizing that heated tobacco contains toxic substances similar to those found in regular cigarettes. Therefore, no matter how the tobacco industry distorts facts, there is no reason to believe that they would cause less harm to human health.

Dr. Angela believes that if the serious health risks of this type of tobacco were known before regular cigarettes became widely available on the commercial market, they would not have been legalized. No other legal, commercial product would be allowed to cause disease and premature death in over 50% of its users when used correctly.

In addition, similar to e-cigarettes, these heated tobacco products are becoming increasingly complex in design and flavor. Recently, there have also been some hybrid heated tobacco products emerging, which contain not only tobacco fibers but also nicotine solution found in e-cigarettes.

Dr. Angela, when asked about representing the World Health Organization in Vietnam and whether the research data presented by the Ministry of Health is compelling, as well as whether the Ministry of Health has been diligent in policy making, stated that the World Health Organization has closely collaborated with the Ministry of Health and other partners to review evidence regarding the health risks of these new products and international experiences in regulating them. The reports submitted by the Ministry of Health to the parliament have been reviewed, and it is believed that the reports have effectively summarized the latest and most compelling scientific evidence regarding the risks of these products, as well as international experiences.

Dr. Angela added that the Ministry of Health has been actively collaborating with other departments and partners to disseminate the undeniable harms of these products to the public, especially to young people who are targeted by the tobacco industry through incorrect marketing and misleading tactics. Therefore, the Ministry of Health has done everything possible to inform and educate the public about the dangers of these products. However, mere information and education are not enough. In order to effectively protect Vietnamese society, particularly young people, from the health risks posed by these products, we need Congress to pass a resolution or law to comprehensively ban these harmful products.

When asked about the success of countries in implementing regulations to effectively manage new forms of tobacco, Dr. Angela stated that based on the experiences of other countries, even nations with strong regulatory and enforcement capabilities like the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia have been unable to prevent the use of these products by young people, the harms they pose to youth, and the rapid growth in usage rates. She specifically highlighted the diversity in design, style, and composition of new tobacco products like e-cigarettes, making it very challenging to effectively regulate these products once they are legalized.

Dr. Angela, a representative from the World Health Organization, mentioned that approximately 40 countries have now banned e-cigarettes, with 18 countries also banning heated tobacco products due to concerns about their health risks and difficulties in regulation. In the ASEAN region, four countries including Thailand, Singapore, Laos, and Cambodia have banned both products, while Brunei has banned e-cigarettes.

The Ministry of Health needs to start developing comprehensive legislative proposals, including amending the Anti-Smoking Harm Law to prohibit e-cigarettes, other nicotine products (including nicotine-free e-cigarettes), and heated tobacco products.