High school students win award for e-cigarette warning video

Marcell Biró, the director of the Hungarian Regulatory Supervision Authority, announced the results of a video contest with a certain brand of electronic cigarettes in Budapest. 12 high school students received the Dr. award for creating short films warning their peers about the hidden dangers of electronic cigarettes, specifically disposable e-cigarette devices.

The competition clips are available for public viewing and can also be shared on social media, highlighting not only the dangers of electronic cigarettes but also the social opposition against their use.

For over a decade, Hungary has been actively working to reduce underage smoking.

Dr. Zoltán Maruzsa, State Secretary for Education, emphasized that schools are not only a place for students to learn subjects, but also a place to provide education. Schools educate children to protect their health, combat behavior deemed inappropriate by society, set an example for children, and point out the difference between right and wrong.

A single e-cigarette device contains the equivalent of three to sixteen packs of cigarettes worth of nicotine, and users are unable to control the amount of nicotine they inhale with each use. Inhaling nicotine can cause chest pain, dizziness, vomiting, and even coughing up blood.

The Elf Bar is a type of disposable electronic cigarette that comes with a pre-filled battery and liquid. It has become increasingly popular among young people in recent months.

This product is specifically designed for young people and due to its several flavors, it quickly becomes addictive.

The story of e-cigarettes began with a successful American product named JUUL, which was then replicated in China and gave birth to the current products on the market.

Due to being a banned product in Hungary, a certain brand of e-cigarettes is being distributed through an increasing number of black market dealerships and has ended up in the hands of minors.

Hungarian authorities are currently monitoring packages from China and trying to identify individuals who are bringing nicotine products into the country. In many cases, it has been reported that these products are coming from Slovakia. In September, the Hungarian Competition Authority reportedly ordered the temporary closure of two online shops owned by Slovakians that were promoting electronic cigarettes to Hungarian customers.

Bence Rétvári, the Political State Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, has issued a warning stating that a certain brand of electronic cigarette is particularly dangerous due to its unknown, untested, and unreliable ingredients, as well as its extremely high nicotine content. He emphasized that the government takes action to protect the health of young people as soon as illegal products appear.

Although there is no binding regulation at the EU level, in Hungary, not only the sale but also the possession of this product is illegal.

The parliament was forced to take action and passed stricter legislation on July 19th. As a result, retailers of unauthorized tobacco products may face substantial fines as a deterrent.

At the same time, not only do e-cigarettes pose a threat to the health of young people, but energy drinks have also become a fashionable commodity. A large proportion of young people, especially school-aged children, still consume energy drinks, prompting the government to believe that it is important to raise awareness of this issue through various initiatives.