On September 24th, the VinFuture Foundation in collaboration with the Hanoi University of Public Health (HUPH) successfully held the InnovaConnect event titled “Preventing the Harmful Effects of New Tobacco Products: Evidence from Vietnam and Other Countries.” The event attracted nearly 500 participants, including leading domestic and international experts in the field.

In the last decade we have witnessed a rapid increase in new cigarette usage not only in Vietnam but also in the world. The allure of electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products, with their stylish designs, diverse flavors, and misleading advertising campaigns, has led to many people, especially adolescents, mistakenly believing that these products are safer than traditional cigarettes.

The event brought together the distinguished panel of leading experts in tobacco control research, including Associate Professor Becky Freeman from the School of Public Health, The University of Sydney (Australia), Ms. Bungon Ritthiphakdee, Executive Director of the Global Center for Good Governance in Tobacco Control (Thailand), and Professor Hoang Van Minh, Rector of Hanoi School of Public Health (Vietnam). Through their presentations, the experts warned about the “new tobacco epidemic” (electronic cigarettes, heated tobacco, etc.) and emphasized the urgent need for Vietnam to quickly formulate prevention strategies.

In the last decade we have witnessed a rapid increase in new cigarette usage not only in Vietnam but also in the world. The allure of electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products, with their stylish designs, diverse flavors, and misleading advertising campaigns, has led to many people, especially adolescents, mistakenly believing that these products are safer than traditional cigarettes.