The seminar on “Preventing the Harm of New Tobacco Products” was part of the InnovaConnect series, organized by the VinFuture Foundation in collaboration with the University of Public Health, with the participation of nearly 500 guests, including leading experts from Vietnam and abroad.
This information was shared at the InnovaConnect workshop on the theme “Preventing the Harm of New Tobacco Products: Scientific Evidence and Experiences in Vietnam and the World,” held at the University of Public Health (UPH). The workshop was part of the InnovaConnect series organized by the VinFuture Foundation in collaboration with UPH, with the participation of nearly 500 guests, including leading domestic and foreign experts.
“E-cigarettes and heated tobacco products are creating a new generation addicted to nicotine”
During the period of October-December 2023, a random sample survey led by Prof. Hoang Van Minh, Rector of UPH, was conducted on 3,801 students from grades 6 to 12 in 11 provinces and cities in Vietnam. The results showed that 96.2% and 37.8% of students were aware of the existence of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products, respectively. Among them, 14% had ever tried e-cigarettes, and 7% were current users within the past 30 days. The corresponding figures for heated tobacco products were 1.8% and 1.0%, respectively.
The prevalence of e-cigarette and heated tobacco product use among Vietnamese youth is high, especially when compared to the indicators for traditional cigarette use. Prof. Hoang Van Minh, Rector of UPH, shared worrying findings from the information collected by his research group.
“This is a concerning trend, as it could undo the efforts made over the years to control tobacco use among adolescents. Notably, the high indicators for both experimental and current use of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products may even lead to an increase in the rate of traditional cigarette use in the future. The addiction to nicotine formed during e-cigarette use can lead to a ‘transition’ to traditional tobacco products,” emphasized Prof. Minh.
Prof. Hoang Van Minh, Rector of the University of Public Health, shared worrying findings from the information collected by his research group.
Not only in Vietnam, but the prevalence of new tobacco product use among adolescents has also been increasing rapidly in many countries over the past decade. The appeal of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products with their trendy designs, diverse flavors, and sophisticated advertising campaigns has led many people, especially young people, to mistakenly believe that these products are safer than traditional cigarettes.
“Tobacco companies are using sophisticated marketing tactics to attract young people, especially through social media. They create attractive images, use celebrities to promote their products, and provide misleading information about the safety of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products,” said Assoc. Prof. Becky Freeman, an expert from the School of Public Health, University of Sydney (Australia).
Concurring with this view, Ms. Bungon Ritthiphakdee, Executive Director of the Global Center for Good Governance in Tobacco Control (GGTC, Thailand), stated that the tobacco industry is trying to circumvent regulations by introducing new products such as e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products to counter the increasingly strict regulations on traditional cigarettes.
“E-cigarettes and heated tobacco products also contain addictive nicotine and can create a new generation addicted to nicotine,” she warned.
The survey results from Prof. Minh and his team also showed that many students still had misconceptions about the harms of these new types of tobacco products, believing that they were safer or less harmful than traditional cigarettes. 23.5% of students did not perceive the potential risks of e-cigarettes, and this figure was even higher for heated tobacco products (43.2%).
“This has led to many students being willing to experiment with and use these products without anticipating the associated harms,” said Prof. Minh.
Urgent need to raise community awareness
In reality, new tobacco products can have negative effects on health, especially the developing brains of adolescents. The global health community has also recorded some cases of lung damage from e-cigarettes, known as EVALI.
Prof. Minh emphasized the need for immediate action, formulating, and implementing strict control policies for these products.
According to Prof. Minh, community health campaigns play a crucial role in addressing the lack of knowledge about the harms of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products. Additionally, community awareness campaigns can generate strong support for tobacco control policies, counteracting the notion that smoking is “cool” or “masculine.”
International experts shared their experiences in preventing the “epidemic” of new tobacco products
Currently, at least 34 countries and territories worldwide have implemented a complete ban on e-cigarette products, and 11 countries have banned the sale of heated tobacco products. A notable example is Singapore, where, since February 2018, the government has entirely prohibited the purchase, use, and possession of new tobacco products such as e-cigarettes, shisha, and smokeless tobacco.
“The Singapore government wants to protect its future generations, and that is why they decided to ban new tobacco products like e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products entirely,” shared Ms. Ritthiphakdee.
Sharing the experience from Australia, Assoc. Prof. Freeman mentioned that the daily smoking rate in the country is now below 10%. However, achieving this required a comprehensive multi-faceted approach. One effective solution is to allow the sale of e-cigarettes only in pharmacies with strict regulations.
“Young people will no longer be able to easily purchase these products at convenience stores. This model has helped significantly reduce the rate of e-cigarette use among young people,” said Assoc. Prof. Freeman.
InnovaConnect is the latest initiative by the VinFuture Foundation to build on the success of the “VinFuture Future Dialogue” series from the 2023 VinFuture season.
The distinctive feature of the InnovaConnect series of events is the collaborative discussions and in-depth scientific workshops held directly in Vietnam, with the participation of leading professors, doctors, and experts from Vietnam and the world. This affirms VinFuture’s role as a solid bridge to lay the foundation for the sustainable development of science and technology in Vietnam.
The Rising Threat of Tobacco: Vietnam’s Urgent Need to Tackle a New “Epidemic”
International experts have sounded the alarm on a new “epidemic” of tobacco products, including e-cigarettes and heated tobacco. They emphasize that Vietnam needs to act swiftly and formulate a comprehensive strategy to tackle this emerging threat as soon as possible.
