This recommendation was issued by WHO’s Vietnam representative on November 24, as the country’s revised Investment Law draft is currently under parliamentary review. Notably, the draft does not yet list these products in the banned investment category.

According to the UN health agency, this legal omission directly contradicts National Assembly Resolution 173 - which took effect on January 1, 2025 - prohibiting the production, trading, and import of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco.

To ensure effective enforcement of the ban passed by the National Assembly, WHO urges the Vietnamese government to explicitly include these products in the prohibited investment list and avoid any regulatory loopholes.

“A comprehensive ban highlights Vietnam’s global leadership and is a vital move to protect public health and safeguard future generations,” the WHO representative emphasized.

E-cigarettes and heated tobacco are new-generation products that operate by heating liquids containing nicotine or flavored chemicals dissolved in propylene glycol or glycerine. At least 60 chemical compounds have been found in these solutions, and many toxic substances are released in the resulting aerosol or smoke, increasing the risk of cancer, stroke, and various diseases - particularly among young users.

Preliminary control measures appear to be working. Citing data from the Poison Control Center at Bach Mai Hospital, WHO noted that emergency room visits related to new-generation tobacco have dropped by nearly 70% in the past 10 months compared to the same period prior to the ban. Celebrity advertising of these products has also almost completely ceased.

To maintain these achievements, WHO and the Ministry of Health both oppose proposals to allow production for export. Permitting manufacturing solely for export, while banning domestic consumption, poses several risks - it weakens the rationale for health protection, opens the door to smuggling back into the local market, and imposes significant burdens on law enforcement.

Health experts and lawmakers alike argue that the most effective international practice is to implement a uniform, comprehensive ban across all legal documents and eliminate the idea of producing such harmful items for export altogether.

Thu Loan