Easy to buy, affordable prices, and stylish product design are three of the many reasons why electronic cigarettes are attracting young people.
As he took his bike out of the school gate, Duy, an 8th-grade student at a secondary school in Hoang Mai District (Hanoi), pulled out a pod (electronic cigarette) shaped like the cartoon character Doraemon from his pocket. Taking a long drag, Duy pursed his lips and exhaled three O-shaped clouds of smoke, the mint flavor filling the air. Sitting on the back of a motorbike, he continuously puffed, occasionally passing it to his friend driving, sharing the experience.
Duy was introduced to pods three months ago by an upperclassman who let him try it. He skipped breakfast for a few weeks to save money to buy the electronic cigarette. “Smoking this is fine; it only smells like fruit,” Duy said, adding that if he goes a day without smoking, he feels restless and uneasy.
In Duy’s class of over 30 students, about a quarter, including girls, smoke this new type of tobacco. Common gathering spots for smoking are often in front of restrooms, in convenience stores near the school, gaming shops, and parks.
Ms. Hanh, a 42-year-old from Dong Da (Hanoi), was shocked to discover that her 10th-grade daughter was smoking electronic cigarettes. “Every time I find out, she promises to quit, but she relapses,” she said.
In her daughter’s class of 25 students, about eight are smokers, both boys and girls. The mother is in a panic, unsure how to help her child realize the dangers of electronic cigarettes to quit. She is considering transferring her child to another school or sending her to rehab.
Electronic cigarettes designed attractively like toys or drinks. (Photo: Le Nga).
Like Duy and Ms. Hanh’s daughter, many other adolescents are becoming “targets” for this new tobacco. Statistics from the Ministry of Health show that within just two years, the rate of electronic cigarette use among students aged 13-15 has rapidly increased from 3.5% in 2022 to 8% in 2023. The rate of electronic cigarette use among those over 15 years old is also concentrated in the younger age group.
A study conducted by the University of Public Health (supported by the Tobacco Harm Prevention Fund and the Global Community Health Organization Vital Strategies) recently revealed that from October to December 2023, 14% of students had tried electronic cigarettes, and 7% had used them in the past 30 days. Over 3,800 students from grades 6 to 12 across 11 provinces participated in this study.
“The goal of reducing the rate of regular cigarette smoking over the last decade is at risk due to the increase in electronic cigarette use among young people,” said Dr. Ha Anh Duc, Director of the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment, Ministry of Health.
Ms. Le Thi Thu, a representative of Health Bridge in Vietnam, added that to maintain tobacco production and profit growth (as governments implement tobacco harm prevention measures), this industry is targeting young people as replacements. Statistics show that 58% of electronic cigarette users are new smokers.
Experts indicate that there are many pathways leading adolescents to this new tobacco. First, due to this age group’s desire to express themselves, prove they are grown-ups, or be influenced by peers. Additionally, some may have personal issues, family pressures, or academic stress. Many come from families where adults frequently use tobacco. “However, the most accessible pathway is the ease of purchasing electronic cigarettes, along with their affordable prices,” Ms. Thu stated.
In Vietnam, electronic cigarettes are widely advertised on social media. The products are attractively designed, compact, come in various flavors, and are inexpensive… They are promoted by celebrities and sold widely through e-commerce platforms. A report reviewing news related to tobacco and tobacco harm prevention across Internet media channels in Vietnam indicated that in a three-month period (July to September 2019), there were over 61,000 articles and posts related to electronic cigarettes. Of these, 99% were published on Facebook, mainly focusing on buying, selling, advertising, and sharing usage experiences.
Electronic cigarettes are sold in grocery stores and tea shops. (Photo: Hanh Nguyen).
The Executive Director of the Global Tobacco Control Center (GGTC, Thailand), Bungon Ritthiphakdee, argued that the tobacco industry is trying to “bypass” regulations by introducing new products like electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco to cope with increasingly strict regulations on traditional tobacco. They propose a harm-reduction approach through the use of electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco.
However, Mr. Nguyen Tuan Lam, a representative of the World Health Organization in Vietnam, asserted that electronic cigarettes contain nicotine (a strong addictive substance), which is especially harmful to the health of children, adolescents, and pregnant women. Toxic substances are found in e-liquid and smoke. Therefore, these cigarettes are harmful to both users and those around them.
Electronic cigarettes are also not an effective method to help quit smoking. Smokers attempting to quit by using electronic cigarettes often end up using both electronic and traditional cigarettes. Additionally, adolescents using new tobacco products are three times more likely to start smoking traditional cigarettes.
In this context, the Ministry of Health is researching a proposal for the government to present to the National Assembly to enact a resolution banning the production, trade, import, and advertisement of electronic cigarettes and similar products. In the long term, the Ministry of Health will amend and supplement the Tobacco Harm Prevention Law to ensure consistency.
