Young people vape e-cigarettes in Vietnam. Photo: Ngoc Minh / Tuoi Tre
Following the National Assembly’s Resolution No. 173, which prohibits the production, trade, import, transport, and use of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco from early 2025, many retailers have closed or shifted to online sales.
Yet the harmful impact of these products continues to grow.
The Poison Control Center at Bach Mai Hospital in Hanoi has recently admitted a 15-year-old boy in critical condition after he vaped a liquid containing synthetic drugs.
He was found foaming at the mouth, convulsing, and suffering from severe neurological disturbances.
Tests revealed the liquid contained 5F-ADB, a new-generation synthetic cannabinoid with powerful effects on the nervous, cardiovascular, and mental systems.
The teenager sustained brain damage, mild kidney failure, left ventricular dilation, and psychological disorders, including depression and paranoia.
Dr. Nguyen Trung Nguyen, director of the center, said that many recent hospitalizations shared similar symptoms, suggesting an alarming trend of mixing narcotics into e-cigarette liquids.
“This is a grave danger because users, especially teenagers, have no idea what toxins they are inhaling,” Dr. Nguyen warned.
Some patients have been hospitalized multiple times for e-cigarette poisoning, and several suffered brain injuries resulting in paralysis or long-term neurological impairment.
Dr. Vu Van Hoai from Bach Mai Hospital’s Institute of Mental Health reported that even children as young as 13 have been using e-cigarettes for years, with some later experimenting with marijuana.
“Many believe vaping is harmless and non-addictive, but that misconception is extremely dangerous,” Dr. Hoai emphasized.
Dr. Nguyen further explained that e-cigarettes, heated tobacco, and traditional cigarettes all contain nicotine, a toxic, addictive substance known to cause cancer and damage multiple organs.
“Nicotine was once used as an insecticide, but it was abandoned due to its high toxicity,” Dr. Nguyen said.
“However, people are willingly inhaling it into their lungs.
"It’s baffling that society tolerates this while knowing the devastating health consequences."
Dr. Le Thi Thu Ha, head of the substance use and behavioral medicine department at the institute, cautioned that adolescent brains are particularly vulnerable.
“At ages 13 or 14, the brain’s emotional control centers are still developing," Dr. Ha said.
"Nicotine can impair these regions, increasing susceptibility to addiction.
"E-cigarettes often become a gateway to stronger drugs."
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nicotine harms brain development in people under 20 and is especially dangerous for unborn babies.
Many vaping products contain nicotine levels far higher than labeled, leading to overdoses, mental disturbances, and even death.
Data from Vietnam’s Tobacco Harm Prevention Fund under the Ministry of Health shows a rapid rise in e-cigarette use among students, from 2.6 percent in 2019 to 8.1 percent in 2023.
Among those aged 13-15, usage more than doubled in a single year, from 3.5 percent in 2022 to eight percent in 2023.
Stringent legal measures needed
Though e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products are banned, Vietnam still lacks clear penalties for those buying, selling, or using these products.
Dinh Thi Thu Thuy, deputy director of the Legal Department under the Ministry of Health, said that to effectively implement Resolution No. 173, the ministry has drafted amendments to Decree No. 117, introducing administrative penalties for violations related to new tobacco products.
The draft proposes fines of VND3-5 million (US$114-$190) for possession or use of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco, and VND5-10 million ($190-$380) for property owners who knowingly allow such use on their premises without reporting it.
The new rules will give enforcement authority to a wide range of agencies, including market regulators, police, customs officers, and forest rangers, she said.
In addition to fines, violators may be required to destroy illegal products and face notification to their schools or workplaces for disciplinary measures.
Businesses such as restaurants, cafés, and shopping centers will also face stricter inspections and monitoring.
The Ministry of Education and Training, the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, and the Vietnam Youth Federation will coordinate nationwide awareness campaigns in schools, emphasizing education and strong disciplinary action.
Publicizing violations in the media is also seen as an effective deterrent.
The e-cigarette used by a 15-year-old student before he was hospitalized for poisoning. Photo: T. Hao
Growing underground market
While major e-commerce platforms like Shopee and Lazada have removed vaping products, online trade persists through social media.
Searching for terms like ‘vape,’ ‘pod,’ or ‘e-cigarettes’ on Facebook or TikTok reveals countless sales pages and accounts with tens of thousands of followers.
For example, the ‘Vape Vietnam’ group has more than 71,000 members who openly discuss products.
Facebook account V.P.H.N., with over 40,000 followers, advertises various flavored pods, priced between VND100,000 ($3.8) and VND300,000 ($11.4).
Orders can be placed via Zalo or Facebook’s Messenger and delivered discreetly, often using trusted couriers to avoid inspection.
On TikTok, the trade is even more active, with short videos promoting new models and flavors attracting thousands of likes and comments.
Despite the prohibition, this thriving underground market keeps e-cigarettes easily accessible, especially to young people, perpetuating addiction and exposing users to severe, sometimes life-threatening health risks.
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