Ban e-cigarettes for public health
In response to Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor’s pronounced intention to ban e-cigarettes in her Policy Address last October, the government announced on Wednesday it would table a bill in the Legislative Council, proposing a full ban on e-cigarettes. If the bill is passed, anyone who makes, imports, distributes, possesses or promotes alternative smoking products, including e-cigarettes, heat-not-burn products and herbal cigarettes, will face a fine of up to HK$50,000 and six months behind bars if convicted.
Controversial the bill may be, it is the government’s sincere intention to protect public health and stem a potentially widespread dependence on vaping. E-cigarettes are often advertised as being less harmful than ordinary tobacco, which is correct to a certain extent as pointed out by the Cancer Research UK and American Cancer Society that tar and carbon monoxide are absent in the smoke-free and combustion-free vaping. Nevertheless, the liquid that is being heated in e-cigarettes usually contain nicotine, the drug responsible for causing addiction in regular tobacco products. Besides inducing dependence, research has shown that exposure to nicotine has a role in neuro-degeneration that can harm adolescent brain development. The World Health Organization, therefore, does not recommend the use of any kind of nicotine for people who have never smoked.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that the use of nicotine in adolescence may increase risk of future addiction to other drugs and traditional cigarettes. As there are currently minimal regulations on distributing e-cigarettes, they are easily available over the counter and can pose potential health risks to youngsters who are curious about trying something new. Furthermore, e-cigarettes are not free of other potentially harmful substances such as volatile organic compounds and cancer-causing chemicals. What’s more, the long-term side effects of vaping are largely unknown due to insufficient research on this relatively new alternative to smoking.
The government’s initiative to prohibit e-cigarettes conveniently addresses these justifiable concerns. Deputy Secretary for Health Amy Yuen Wai-yin said the government hopes to “nip the problem in the bud”. Indeed, as these products are still relatively new in Hong Kong, the government has a responsibility to protect public health before these addictive products become entrenched in our city. The proposed bill is also in line with the global trend to reduce the number of smokers, the health hazards and the associated medical cost to the society.
One may argue that people find it easier to quit smoking after switching to e-cigarettes, as demonstrated in the UK that e-cigarettes have become a very popular stop smoking aid. Nonetheless, the WHO declares that there is inconclusive evidence on the effectiveness of e-cigarette as a smoking cessation aid. More scientific research will need to be conducted to assess whether vaping can help people quit smoking in the same way as treating heroin dependence with methadone. Therefore, adoption as a smoking aid cessation may not be recommended until the effectiveness of e-cigarettes is validated via scientific means. At present, safeguarding public health should take priority.