WHO Expert Warns E-Cigarettes Pose Potential Threat to Children's Health

  Dr. Nguyen Tuan Lam, a WHO expert in Vietnam, warned that children may be lured by peers at school into using e-cigarettes, and there is no way to confirm whether they may contain synthetic drugs.

According to a quick report by Baotintuc, Dr. Angela Pratt, Chief Representative of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Vietnam, shared the harms of e-cigarettes at a conference.

At an event held on December 21 and co-organized by HealthBridge and the WHO Vietnam alliance to brief the media and the public on the harms of tobacco and control of non-communicable diseases, health experts expressed concern that e-cigarettes are rapidly penetrating the youth population, especially children, who may be the most vulnerable to their appeal.

Dr. Nguyen Tuan Lam, a WHO expert in Vietnam, warned that children may be tempted by classmates to use e-cigarettes at school, and there is no way to verify whether synthetic drugs have been mixed into them. More worryingly, parents are sometimes unaware of the situation and cannot stay with their children for long periods to monitor them.

According to the World Health Organization, e-cigarettes have been extensively promoted to adolescents through social media and influencers. Children in particular are being specifically targeted, with cartoon-character marketing, at least 16,000 flavors, and product positioning that treats e-cigarettes like toys, candy, and school supplies.

Dr. Angela Pratt believes that the rising rate of e-cigarette products use among young people is linked to the nicotine they contain, which is highly addictive and can adversely affect brain development.

This is because e-cigarette products also contain harmful substances, and emissions from e-cigarettes have been shown to cause cancer, long-term heart and lung disease, and other health problems. Recently, the WHO Director-General also called on countries to take urgent action to stop e-cigarettes and protect children from their harm.