The worrying point is not due to the technology or product form but lies in the very “deceptive attraction” that manufacturers intentionally create: Compact designs, eye-catching colors, diverse flavors, and advertisements claiming “less toxic,” “helps quit smoking” have misled many youths. This conceptual switch makes many people mistakenly believe e-cigarettes are harmless, while WHO asserts “No tobacco product is safe.”

Inside the stylish shell, e-cigarettes contain highly addictive nicotine and a series of toxic chemical compounds and flavorings affecting the lungs, cardiovascular system, and nervous system, especially dangerous to the developing brains of young people. The risk is even greater when e-cigarette liquid is easily mixed with drugs or psychotropic substances, directly threatening health.

Clearly identifying this danger, the National Assembly took a decisive step: In November 2024, passing Resolution No.173/2024/QH15, completely banning the production, trading, import, transportation, and use of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco from January 1, 2025. Along with that, the amended Law on Special Consumption Tax passed in June 2025 continues to tighten management with a roadmap to increase tobacco taxes until 2031. These policies show that Vietnam is building a synchronous legal framework to reduce demand and limit supply.

In Điện Biên, the prevention and control of tobacco harms is showing clear changes. Speaking at the Launching Ceremony and response to World No Tobacco Day on May 31, 2025, Phạm Giang Nam, Director of the Department of Health, said that the traditional smoking rate decreased from 28.2% in 2018 to 17.7% in 2022 and has tended to decrease rapidly in recent years. Models of “smoke-free agencies,” “schools,” and “hospitals” are effectively implemented. However, the province has an increasingly popular rate of young people using social networks, also facing the risk of e-cigarettes spreading if there are no early prevention solutions.

Responding to World No Tobacco Day 2025, the province organized a meeting with the theme “Exposing the deceptive attraction,” affirming the determination to fight against the infiltration of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco among young people. To prevent this, functional forces will strictly supervise the implementation of the Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms; check business establishments. At the same time, coordinate with the Education and Training sector in raising students’ awareness of the sophisticated marketing forms of e-cigarettes...

Faced with the spreading speed of new-generation tobacco, the requirement is to continue perfecting legal policies, strictly managing the online business environment, thoroughly handling disguised advertising, and strengthening communication based on scientific evidence. Families, schools, and communities must become a “barrier” protecting children from deception disguised as exotic flavors and stylish designs.

The “deceptive attraction” of e-cigarettes is a present danger, directly impacting the health and future of an entire generation. The responsibility of the State, functional agencies, and the whole society is to join hands to expose that deception, building a healthy, smoke-free living environment. Saying “no” to e-cigarettes is saying “yes” to public health.