After many long debates between ministries and branches, the story of banning or managing e-cigarettes finally ended with banning rather than managing.
Specifically, the National Assembly, in the Resolution on questions and answers at the 8th Session, which was just voted and approved by National Assembly deputies on the afternoon of November 30, agreed to ban the production, trading, import, storage, transportation, and use of electronic cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and gases and addictive substances that are harmful to human health from 2025.
This is an important step forward, a correct and necessary decision, showing the National Assembly's determination to protect public health, the race and ensure social order.
Because e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products are not "harmless" products as many people believe or are led to believe by advertising.
Many studies have shown that these products are not only highly addictive with nicotine, but also produce many toxic substances such as formaldehyde, acrolein - substances that have been identified as having the risk of causing cancer, lung damage and other serious health problems.
Furthermore, these products are often aimed at young people, especially students, with eye-catching designs and attractive flavors. This makes it easy for young people to be drawn into the spiral of addiction at a very early age, affecting both their health and their future.
However, the effectiveness of this ban depends entirely on how we implement and enforce it in practice. The unsuccessful lesson from the ban on smoking in public places is a typical example.
Although Decree 117/2020/ND-CP clearly stipulates a fine of VND200,000 to VND500,000 for smoking in public places, very few violations are handled. Many people do not even know the law exists, or if they do, they do not care because there is no strict inspection and supervision.
The National Assembly has assigned the Government to specifically implement the ban on e-cigarettes. Therefore, from now on, relevant authorities need to think and discuss effective ban solutions, from strictly controlling the supply source, managing online sales to building a serious enforcement team and an effective, long-term propaganda strategy...
Nowadays, e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products are widely available online. And buying e-cigarettes is easier than buying candy or vegetables at the market. Without a specific and comprehensive solution, we will only create a ban on paper.
Banning e-cigarettes cannot fall into the situation of banning for fun, banning for show as is happening like banning smoking in public places because of its unpredictable harms and consequences!
