New-generation cigarette use on the rise: official

The trading of new-generation tobacco products is popular around the world in recent years, leading to an increase in the rate of new-generation cigarette use, especially among the young, Deputy Minister of Health Tran Van Thuan told a seminar in Hanoi on April 27.

New-generation cigarette use on the rise: official -0
Some new-generation tobacco products (Source: suckhoedoisong.vn)

The trading of new-generation tobacco products is popular around the world in recent years, leading to an increase in the rate of new-generation cigarette use, especially among the young, Deputy Minister of Health Tran Van Thuan told a seminar in Hanoi on April 27.

He noted that the emergence of new-generation cigarettes has created more choices for both non-smokers and users of regular cigarettes. E-cigarettes and heated tobacco products are boosting the rate of smoking.

According to a study of student health in Hanoi conducted by the ministry’s Health Strategy and Policy Institute in 2020, 8.35% of 8th - 12th graders used e-cigarettes, and the rate stood at 12.6% among 10th - 12th graders.

The study also showed that the rate of e-cigarette use in 34 surveyed provinces and cities was only about 0.2% in 2015 but surged 18-fold to some 3.6% in 2020. Up to 8% of women and girls vaped while only 1.2% of them used regular cigarettes, Thuan went on.

A survey of e-cigarette users indicated clear links between vaping and social evils such as using drugs and other addictive substances. Some persons have even been hospitalised due to vaping illicit drugs as recorded at the Poison Control Centre of the Hanoi-based Bach Mai Hospital.

The Deputy Minister cited the World Health Organisation (WHO) as saying that all tobacco products are harmful and there is increasing evidence that e-cigarettes are as harmful to community health as regular ones.

However, as the characteristics of new-generation cigarettes are different from regular tobacco products, the 2012 Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms has yet to be applied to new-generation cigarettes, he pointed out.

At the seminar, participants discussed the trading and use of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products, other countries’ experience in controlling new-generation cigarettes, and some legal issues needing attention.

VNA

Other News

Vietnam moves to adapt to rapid population ageing, expand silver economy

Vietnam moves to adapt to rapid population ageing, expand silver economy

The International Day of Older Persons 2026, themed “The Age of Longevity: Rethinking Systems for Longer Lives,” highlights the need to develop healthcare, social security, labour-market and social-service systems in response to increasing life expectancy. For Vietnam, rapid population ageing is not only a demographic issue but also a development challenge.

Vietnamese, Lao localities bolster Front cooperation

Vietnamese, Lao localities bolster Front cooperation

Both sides agreed to keep educating officials, Party members, youth union groups and the broader public, especially young people in both provinces, on the great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation and strategic cohesion between Vietnam and Laos.

Urgent rescue launched for Merchant Mariner off Quang Ngai

Urgent rescue launched for Merchant Mariner off Quang Ngai

The captain discovered water entering ballast tanks No. 4, 5 and 6 on the port side, causing the vessel to list slightly. Initial assessments indicated that the vessel may have struck an underwater rock formation while underway.

Publishing copyright caught in crossfire of piracy, AI

Publishing copyright caught in crossfire of piracy, AI

Publishing copyright is entering an entirely new phase. As AI becomes increasingly capable of generating text, summarising books, mimicking writing styles and producing content at enormous speed, ensuring copyright protection is becoming more difficult.

Heavy rains cause widespread damage in Phu Tho, Thanh Hoa

Heavy rains cause widespread damage in Phu Tho, Thanh Hoa

Prolonged heavy rains from September 13–17 have caused flooding and landslides, damaging homes, crops, roads and infrastructure in Phu Tho and Thanh Hoa provinces, with local authorities mobilising forces for emergency response.

Quang Ninh police bust 38.4 million USD transnational cybercrime ring

Quang Ninh police bust 38.4 million USD transnational cybercrime ring

Quang Ninh city's Public Security Department warned individuals, agencies and businesses not to publicly disclose or provide personal information or bank account details on social media, and urged organisations and businesses to strictly comply with regulations on protecting customers’ personal data.

Search area expanded to recover more martyrs' remains in Quang Tri

Search area expanded to recover more martyrs' remains in Quang Tri

The continued recovery of martyrs’ remains provides valuable information and further evidence of those who fought and sacrificed their lives for national independence and freedom. It also encourages search teams to persist in locating fallen soldiers still lying on former battlefields, contributing to the effective implementation of the 500-day campaign and reflecting Vietnam’s long-standing tradition of gratitude.

Vietnam to screen students nationwide for five health risks from 2028

Vietnam to screen students nationwide for five health risks from 2028

Vietnam will launch nationwide screening for five groups of school-related diseases and health conditions among students from preschool through high school from 2028, including overweight and obesity, refractive errors, spinal curvature, oral diseases and mental health disorders.