Health Ministry Wants to Ban New Tobacco Products

Vietnam’s health ministry has proposed a national ban on e-cigarettes and tobacco-heating products, reports  Vietnam News.

During a conference last week, Deputy Minister Tran Van Thuan stressed that all forms of tobacco, including new-generation products, pose a significant threat to public health.

Nguyen Nho Huy, deputy director of the physical education department at the Ministry of Education and Training, shared that vaping among students had risen from 2.6 percent in 2019 to 8 percent in 2023.

According to ministry of health data, nearly 1,224 people were hospitalized in 2023 due to health complications directly linked to e-cigarettes and heated tobacco.

Tran also referenced risks such as battery explosions and nicotine poisoning.

Heated tobacco, he noted, emits smoke containing toxins similar to those found in traditional cigarettes.

Participants in the event also expressed concern about the market for illicit vaping products. In the first half of 2024, authorities uncovered 35 cases of illegal trade and possession of drug-infused e-cigarettes, according to Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Duy Trung.