3 December, Bangkok: The Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA) applauded Vietnam’s National Assembly for its nearly unanimous decision to ban the production, sale, import, storage, transportation, and use of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products (HTPs). The ban, which will take effect in 2025, was overwhelmingly approved by a 95.62% majority and testifies to Vietnam’s strong commitment to safeguard public health, particularly among young people.
Vietnam joins over 30 countries and jurisdictions worldwide that have already banned ESDs, including five other ASEAN countries (Brunei, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Singapore, and Thailand).
E-cigarette use among Vietnamese youth aged 13-15 had increased alarmingly from 3.5% in 2021 to 8% in 2024. Research shows that adolescents who use e-cigarettes are three times more likely to smoke cigarettes and other tobacco products.
Furthermore, while scientific evidence remains insufficient for the effectiveness of electronic smoking devices (ESDs) as smoking cessation aids, their health harms are already well established. These products emit aerosols containing harmful substances such as particulate matter, heavy metals, toxic fumes, and carcinogenic chemicals that cause cell damage, harm reproductive organs, and increase the risk of lung damage, heart disease, and infections.
Earlier this year, it was reported that over 1,200 Vietnamese citizens were hospitalized due to e-cigarette use in 2023 alone. Elsewhere in the region, a 22-year-old Filipino man and a 16-year old Malaysian girl have died due to heart and lung injuries linked to e-cigarette use.
“By putting the health and well-being of its citizens first, Vietnam sets a powerful example for other countries to follow. We urge all nations to adopt similar bans to protect present and future generations from these addictive and deadly products,” said SEATCA Executive Director, Dr UIysses Dorotheo.
Contact Information:
Ms Val Bugnot, Media and Communications Manager, SEATCA
Email: val@seatca.org
Mobile: +63 917 312 4600
About SEATCA
SEATCA is a multi-sectoral non-governmental alliance promoting health and saving lives by assisting ASEAN countries to accelerate and effectively implement the tobacco control measures contained in the WHO FCTC. Acknowledged by governments, academic institutions, and civil society for its advancement of tobacco control in Southeast Asia, the WHO bestowed on SEATCA the World No Tobacco Day Award in 2004 and the WHO Director-General’s Special Recognition Award in 2014. SEATCA is an accredited ASEAN entity and an official Observer to the WHO FCTC Conference of Parties.