Conflicting views surround new tobacco management policies

Deputy Prime Minister Lê Thành Long speaks at the 8th National Assembly session on November 12. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — There are still many conflicting views from scientists and the business community regarding the new tobacco management policy, according to Deputy Prime Minister Lê Thành Long.

At the 8th National Assembly session on November 12, Deputy PM Long emphasised that this is a concern for the public and voters nationwide.

In the spirit of the Government's directive, policies to control heated cigarettes and electronic cigarettes (or e-cigarettes), collectively known as new-generation cigarettes, should be issued when there is a full scientific consensus to ensure harmony between those involved.

For many years, although the Government repeatedly directed ministries and branches to submit proposals for appropriate management policies, there was still no agreement on a plan.

The emergence of new-generation tobacco products globally has led to many management challenges in countries including Việt Nam.

Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyễn Hồng Diên said that "violations involving traditional cigarettes or new generation cigarettes are mainly due to smuggling or illegal imports."

Experts said that problems with smuggling new-generation cigarettes are due to the long-term lack of a legal framework. The inevitable consequence is a series of product quality problems and drugs disguised in e-cigarettes.

Management plans proposed by the Ministry of Industry and Trade over the past 10 years have also continually changed, in addition to a proposed ban from the Ministry of Health.

As for whether all new-gen tobacco products should be banned, Deputy Chairman of the National Assembly's Culture and Education Committee Tạ Văn Hạ said that authorities need to consider scientific evidence on the level of harm for each product and compare it with the level of harm for traditional cigarettes to have a basis for making decisions.

At the NA session, Minister of Health Đào Hồng Lan emphasised that the use of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products is rapidly increasing and poses potential health and safety risks, especially for young people.

The Ministry has proposed the NA ban e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products before the revised Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harm is reviewed and passed. Minister Lan hopes that this proposal will be considered in the session and that the NA will issue a decision to ban these products to protect public health.

A domestic medical expert said that "it's okay to ban [these products], there's no need to research or evaluate" when citing the toxicity of new-gen tobacco products. This opinion is based on the number of hospitalisations due to using e-cigarettes containing banned substances.

WHO Representative in Việt Nam Angela Pratt has also confirmed that nicotine products, including e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products, are very harmful to health because they contain many toxins that can cause cancer, cardiovascular disease and chronic lung disease, as well as acute lung injury syndrome, a potentially fatal disease.

Dr Nguyễn Minh Đức from Phạm Ngọc Thạch University of Medicine in HCM City said that all types of cigarettes are addictive and toxic, but that traditional cigarettes, heated cigarettes and e-cigarettes are not drugs.

Deputy PM Long asked that the Ministry of Health coordinate with relevant agencies to come up with appropriate management solutions in the near future.

"The Prime Minister has repeatedly directed this issue, assigning the Ministry of Health to preside over and coordinate with the Ministry of Justice and relevant agencies to take appropriate measures to strengthen the management of e-cigarettes and heated cigarettes and other tobacco products to report to the National Assembly. At the same time, the Government assigned the Ministry of Health to research and develop a project to amend the Law on Tobacco Harm Prevention," said the Deputy Prime Minister.

According to the spirit of the Government's law, the management policy for new-generation cigarettes not only covers heated cigarettes and e-cigarettes but also targets future new-generation tobacco products.

Policy development for these products is not only the responsibility of the two main advisory agencies to the Government, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Justice, but also requires coordination between other relevant agencies such as the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Finance. — VNS