Help children fight the harmful effects of e-cigarettes

We must protect children from the harms of conventional cigarettes, e-cigarettes and new tobacco products.

We must protect children from the harmful effects of conventional cigarettes, e-cigarettes and new tobacco products. (Illustration photo)

Dr. Angela Pratt - Chief Representative of the World Health Organization in Vietnam emphasized this in her speech at the rally in response to World No Tobacco Day on May 31, 2024 and National No Tobacco Week from May 25 - 31, organized by the Ministry of Health in coordination with the World Health Organization Office in Vietnam this morning (May 26) at Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi.

Children must be protected against the harmful effects of e-cigarettes and new tobacco products.

Dr. Angela Pratt said that the World Health Organization chose the theme of this year's World No Tobacco Day, May 31, as "Protecting children from the impacts of the tobacco industry."

“It is also a topic very close to my heart. I am a mother of two young daughters. As a parent, my job is to do everything in my power to give my daughters the best possible chance to live a long, healthy and happy life. As WHO Representative in Viet Nam, my job is to work with the Minister of Health and other organizations to ensure that every child in Viet Nam can live a long, healthy and happy life,” said Dr. Angela Pratt.

To achieve this, we must protect children from the harmful effects of conventional cigarettes, e-cigarettes, new tobacco products, and counter the tobacco industry's predatory tactics to lure and addict people to these products at a young age, says Dr. Angela Pratt.

Globally, on this year's World No Tobacco Day, young people are calling on policymakers to protect them from tobacco marketing tactics and from the tobacco industry.

"As we saw this morning, Vietnamese children are also adding their voices to that call - asking those of us who have the authority and capacity to help protect them. I believe it is our moral responsibility to listen and act on this call," said the World Health Organization Representative in Vietnam.

2 recommendations of the World Health Organization

The World Health Organization in Vietnam has two specific recommendations for Vietnamese policymakers. First, regarding new nicotine and tobacco products. These products are very harmful to health.

“These products expose young people to nicotine and keep them hooked, putting them at risk of long-term addiction and causing serious harm to the health and development of young people. All the evidence points to a sharp increase in use among young people in Vietnam. We must act now to stop this, before it is too late,” said Dr. Angela Pratt.

The World Health Organization in Viet Nam welcomes the Prime Minister's urgent telegram this month to strengthen communication to raise awareness of the harmful effects of new nicotine and tobacco products, and to strengthen enforcement against drug trafficking and crime control.

"However, the World Health Organization believes that only a complete ban on these products can effectively protect young people in Vietnam from their harmful effects. We call on policymakers and legislators to enact a complete ban on these products as soon as possible," said Dr. Angela Pratt.

Second, it relates to the price and affordability of conventional tobacco products. Cigarettes are extremely cheap in Vietnam, due to low taxes. This means that price does not create a barrier to young people starting to smoke – and does not encourage current smokers to quit.

"We need to make it much more difficult for young people to start smoking or continue smoking. And, raising tobacco taxes is the fastest and most effective way to achieve this," the World Health Organization Representative in Vietnam emphasized.

Therefore, Dr. Angela Pratt said, the World Health Organization calls on policymakers to take advantage of this year's opportunity to significantly increase tobacco taxes to help "vaccinate" Vietnamese youth against the harmful effects of lifelong tobacco use.

According to Dr. Angela Pratt, the two actions of banning e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products and increasing tobacco taxes will help Vietnam achieve the goals of the Vietnam Health Program and international commitments to sustainable development goals.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/giup-tre-em-chong-lai-tac-hai-cua-thuoc-la-dien-tu-272700.html