PM asks for strengthened measures to manage e-cigarettes, heated tobacco

ABO/NDO- Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has signed to issue a dispatch to relevant ministries, agencies, and localities, asking for strengthened measures to manage electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco.

In the dispatch, the PM noted that despite initial results in the prevention and control of tobacco harms, including an annual average reduction of 0.5% in the regular cigarette use among men, the situation of e-cigarette and heated tobacco use has remained complicated in the community, especially among youngsters, negatively impacting to users’ health.

In order to strengthen the prevention and control of harms from e-cigarette and heated tobacco use, he asked the Ministry of Health to increase the popularisation and education on the harmful effects of e-cigarette and heated tobacco in the community, while proposing solutions to better manage these products.

E-cigarettes and heated tobacco products are brought into Vietnam mainly through smuggled and hand-carried imports. (Photo: VNA).

He assigned the Ministry of Finance to direct the customs authority to strictly inspect and control the transportation of smuggled e-cigarettes and heated tobacco through border gates and customs control areas, and establish specialised anti-smoking projects to combat e-cigarettes and heated tobacco smuggling rings.

The border guard force was tasked to increase border patrol to detect the illegal trading, storing, and transportation of smuggled e-cigarettes and heated tobacco.

At the same time, the Ministry of Public Security was requested to direct its forces at all levels to focus on raiding rings and groups involving in illegally trading and mixing banned substances into e-cigarette solutions for prosecution.

The PM urged the Ministry of Industry and Trade to roll out measures to strengthen the management over the domestic market and strictly handle cases of e-cigarette and heated tobacco trafficking, storing, and transporting.

The Ministry of Information and Communications, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education and Training, the Vietnam Television, the radio Voice of Vietnam, the Vietnam News Agency, and the People's Committees of the centrally-run provinces and cities were requested to direct press and media agencies to increase communications about the harmful effects of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco.

PM Chinh also asked the National Steering Committee on Anti-smuggling, Counterfeit Goods and Trade Fraud (National Steering Committee 389) to direct its affiliates in ministries, sectors, and localities to check the implementation of this dispatch.

Meanwhile, localities were asked to regularly inspect the e-cigarette and heated tobacco prevention and control and strictly handle related violations.

Deputy PM Tran Homg Ha was assigned to take charge of directing the implementation of this document.

(Source: NDO)