E-Cigarettes Disguised as ‘Vitamin Sticks’ Harm Teenagers; Taiwan Health Authorities May Regulate Th

▲ E-cigarettes disguised as "vitamin sticks" harm teenagers; "Director of the National Health Agency" Wang Weiying promised to propose a draft amendment by the end of October at the earliest. (Photo by reporter Yan Yuncen)

Reporter Yan Yuncen / Taipei Report

The Dong Foundation held a press conference today (10th) emphasizing the dangers of e-cigarettes. CEO Yao Siyuan shared recent complaints from parents, stating that their children confidently vaped during the summer vacation and when advised against it, they retorted, "I’m smoking a vitamin stick," urging the government to quickly regulate e-cigarettes under the Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act. In response, National Health Agency Director Wang Yingwei stated that a draft amendment is expected to be proposed by the end of October, along with a public hearing to provide the public with an explanation.

Yao Siyuan pointed out that recent reports from the public revealed that e-cigarette vendors, in addition to physical stores and night market stalls, are also delivering directly to homes, selling e-cigarette sticks online, and through Facebook groups. Currently, it has been discovered that there are 4,376 cases of illegal online sales, and 341 cases in Facebook groups. With the start of the school year, the phenomenon of selling e-cigarettes around school areas is also becoming increasingly active.

▲ CEO of the Dong Foundation, Yao Siyuan. (Photo by reporter Yan Yuncen)

Lin Qingli, Director of the Tobacco Hazards Prevention Center at the Dong Foundation, pointed out that e-cigarettes are a type of device that vaporizes liquids containing nicotine, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, diacetyl, polybrominated diphenyl ethers, heavy metals, or other drugs and flavorings, leading to addiction. E-cigarette vendors continuously change names to avoid association with tobacco products, using terms like atomizers, vaporizers, nicotine delivery devices, and vitamin sticks, misleading teenagers into thinking they are smoking "vitamins," unaware that they are gradually becoming addicted.

Dr. Huang Songli, Secretary of the Taiwan International Medical Alliance, pointed out that e-cigarettes pose at least four major health risks, as they typically contain 6 to 24 milligrams, or even over 100 milligrams of nicotine, which can lead to addiction and do not help with smoking cessation. Additionally, studies in Japan have found that the levels of formaldehyde and acetaldehyde in e-cigarettes can be up to ten times higher than in traditional cigarettes, and there have been frequent reports of explosions during use, charging, and component testing, making them a ticking time bomb in daily life.

▲ The Dong Foundation held a press conference on e-cigarettes. (Photo by reporter Yan Yuncen)

Yao Siyuan stated that the Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act has not undergone a comprehensive revision since its passage in 2007, and most of its content is outdated compared to the WHO's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, making it a true case of "long overdue." In recent years, issues such as Japan closing domestic tobacco factories and moving to Taiwan for production, and e-cigarette vendors expanding their marketing without restraint have arisen. He urged the government to quickly amend the law in accordance with WHO standards to ensure public health.

National Health Agency Director Wang Yingwei attended the press conference today (10th) and stated that polls show that 91.3% of the public supports stricter management of e-cigarettes, 93% support banning e-cigarette use in indoor public places, and 92.6% support prohibiting the sale of e-cigarettes to minors. The National Health Agency plans to propose a draft amendment by the end of October in accordance with the WHO's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, including e-cigarette management and tobacco price adjustments, and will also hold public hearings to gather opinions from all sectors.