At the Workshop providing information on the implementation plan of the National Assembly's Resolution on questioning activities at the 8th Session of the 15th National Assembly on electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products, held on December 25, MSc. Dinh Thi Thu Thuy - Deputy Director of the Department of Legal Affairs, Ministry of Health - said that the regulation banning electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products is a great success in the work of taking care of people's health.
Since 2018, the Ministry of Health has been making tireless efforts to propose this ban with the highest responsibility in protecting and taking care of people's health.
These products are not only addictive but also pose many health risks such as lung damage, cardiovascular disease and cancer. In particular, these products are not a safe alternative to traditional cigarettes.
According to the direction of organizing the implementation of the National Assembly's Resolution, MSc. Dinh Thi Thu Thuy said that the Ministry of Health is asking for direction on 2 contents.
Firstly, the Ministry of Health is assigned to preside over and coordinate with relevant agencies and organizations to draft the Government's Plan to implement Resolution 173/2024/QH15 on questioning activities at the 8th session of the 15th National Assembly related to e-cigarettes, heated tobacco, gases, addictive substances, and harmful effects on human health from 2025. This plan is expected to be submitted to the Prime Minister for promulgation no later than the first quarter of 2025.
Second, the Ministry of Health is assigned to develop a Decree amending and supplementing a number of articles of Decree 117/2020/ND-CP of the Government regulating administrative sanctions for violations in the health sector according to simplified procedures.
Dr. Hoang Thi My Hanh, Institute of Health Strategy and Policy, Ministry of Health also shared that currently in the world, there are 43 countries that have banned e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products, of which 39 countries have completely banned related activities such as trading, advertising, use, transportation, etc.
In the ASEAN region alone, 6 countries have banned it, of which 5 countries banned it from 2014-2016.
Dr. Hoang Thi My Hanh also said that Hong Kong (China) is a country that previously managed tobacco as a pharmaceutical product, but after 3 years of implementation, this country has completely banned new types of tobacco.
The act of distributing advertisements published outside Singapore in Singapore shall be punishable by a fine of up to S$10,000 or imprisonment of up to 6 months or both…
MSc. Dr. Nguyen Tuan Lam, representative of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Vietnam, said that Vietnam's comprehensive ban on e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products is very wise and timely. This is a very strong regulation, demonstrating high consensus when it was passed by the Vietnamese National Assembly.
Accordingly, Vietnam has imposed a comprehensive ban on e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products, including business, trade, transportation, use, advertising, etc. This is a very good foundation in protecting an entire generation of young people in Vietnam.
According to MSc. Lam, the experience of countries that have effectively implemented regulations banning e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products shows that enforcement needs to be carried out simultaneously in both the field (border gates...) and online environments.
We need to coordinate with service providers such as Facebook, Telegram, Shopee, Lazada... so that they are responsible for removing the sale and advertising of these products on their platforms.
At the same time, there must be user monitoring, sales monitoring, and surveys on usage..., and communication about the ban, the harmful effects of use, sanctions for each violation, and prevention of trade at border gates... are effective activities to effectively enforce this ban," the WHO representative shared.
Banning new tobacco products is now considered an effective preventive measure to help protect people's health from the harmful effects of new tobacco products.
