Vietnam addresses rising e-cigarette use among students

Educational authorities and health organizations in Vietnam are intensifying efforts to combat the rising use of e-cigarettes and new addictive substances among students. At Yen Thanh 3 High School in Nghe An, teachers are implementing proactive measures, such as the ‘Detective Squad’ model, to support students and help them develop the skills to refuse peer pressure.

Data from the Vietnam Association of Critical Care and Toxicology highlights a significant public health crisis: over 100,000 Vietnamese die annually from tobacco-related illnesses, a figure ten times higher than traffic accident fatalities. Vietnam ranks among the top 15 countries globally for high smoking rates among adult males, and smoking prevalence among the 18-24 age group has reached 32.6%.

In response, the Association has proposed legislative changes for the 2026 Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms. These recommendations include banning the sale and provision of tobacco to anyone born after January 1, 2010, and considering a total ban on tobacco use for that specific demographic to prevent long-term nicotine dependency.