US: Banning odor, controlling age to buy cigarettes
Data shows that the rate of tobacco use among adolescents in the United States will decrease significantly in 2021, especially e-cigarettes containing nicotine. A survey from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the University of Michigan shows that the rate of nicotine-containing e-cigarette use among 12th graders has dropped below 20%.
To achieve this result, at the end of 2019, the federal government issued a requirement on the minimum age to buy cigarettes and e-cigarettes and banned fragrant foods (specifically: fruit and mint) in pipes containing accompanying solutions. The world health community believes that this result partly comes from the practical, comprehensive management policy that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has directed since the beginning.
The National Survey on the use of Cigarettes among adolescents in this country also shows that the rate of people who have and are smoking cigarettes and switching to new-generation cigarettes is currently at a high rate, including the group of adolescents who have a history of smoking.
It can be seen that the results of the above survey are consistent with data from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) showing that adolescents, non-smokers and those who have smoked are very unlikely to start or reuse cigarettes after using e-cigarettes.
In Japan, the 2017 report of the Research Committee of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) is also considered a valuable independent source of reference on whether heated tobacco products are replacing burnt tobacco products and attracting young people. The report shows that heated tobacco products legally traded in this country are proving to be effective in reducing the popularity of smoking. At the same time, this product is also confirmed to not cause "Effects that lead to smoking behavior" for young people in Japan.
Effective new-generation tobacco control measures must be controlled as soon as possible
It can be seen that the common point in the above countries is to accept the presence of new generation cigarette products according to the laws of market supply and demand as well as rely on science to evaluate products; put them under management under the law instead of lax or deliberately ignoring; thereby building control policies to only allow legal products to be accessed by smokers who want to change and prevent intentional acts of tearing the fence from reaching young people. For example, in the US, the FDA has so far only allowed some new-generation tobacco products to be sold, including a heated tobacco product; a closed END system electronic cigarette and accompanying tobacco essential oil; and four new-generation tobacco products used orally (oral tobacco).
The FDA's strategy is to put new-generation cigarettes under management based on the best scientific foundation with the goal of minimizing diseases and deaths caused by tobacco use, including strict regulations to ensure that all new-generation tobacco products must demonstrate that product trading is "in line with the goal of protecting public health".
In addition, this prestigious health organization also focuses on providing young people with scientific information about the risks of new-generation cigarettes to contribute to solving the consequences of the long-standing problem of fake advertising by smugglers deliberately "transforming" electronic cigarettes and other non-smoked products as a fashion product.
Although independent studies have shown quite positive results, experts emphasize that we must not be subjective about this issue. In reality, in countries where smoke-free cigarettes are allowed to circulate, even applying less strict laws than cigarettes (such as Japan, the US, Canada, Newzealand...), governments of countries always promote the prevention of young people from accessing all tobacco products.
In Vietnam, according to the Tobacco Harm Prevention Fund, the rate of smuggling e-cigarettes among adolescents increased from 1.1% in 2015 to 2.6% in 2019. At the seminar on "New generation tobacco management - Need for a new perspective" held in Hanoi on January 7, 2021, Mr. Luu Binh Nhuong - Deputy Head of the Petition Committee - National Assembly Standing Committee said that in Vietnam, a suitable management policy for new generation tobacco products has been left open for too long. Ms. Nguyen Quynh Lien, Deputy Director of the Department of Criminal and Administrative Law (Ministry of Justice) said that currently, the countries that have gone before the US, UK, Japan, NewZealand... do not ban new-generation tobacco products. Because the ban will lead to a situation of uncontrollable smuggling.
Instead, the governments of these countries only ban certain essential oils and flavors that attract young people. At the same time, the government also requires manufacturers to transparently declare all trading and marketing activities.
It can be seen that controlling new generation cigarette products is something that needs to be done soon, is completely feasible and the state has enough tools to do so. The bold application of the current Law on Tobacco Harm Prevention not only helps control, contributes to preventing and reducing the harmful effects of tobacco, avoiding loss of revenue for the State but more importantly, protects the health of people, especially adolescents.
