Vientiane (VNA) - Laos plans to amend andsupplement certain provisions of the law on drug prevention and control, with electroniccigarettes to be included in the list of substances and precursors classifiedas addictive.
Speaking at the 9th Lao National Assembly’s 6thsession, General Vilay Lakhamphong, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of PublicSecurity, stressed that electronic cigarettes, one of the emerging issues ofsocial concerns, are yet to be listed as prohibited substances. Therefore, inthe near future, they will be added to the list of products containing banned addictivesubstances and precursors.
According to the country’s Ministry of Health, tobacco-relateddiseases are the leading cause of death in the country, accounting for about65%. It is estimated that tobacco causes hundreds of thousands of chronicdiseases and claims the lives of 6,700 people annually.
In fact, the rate of Lao youth using tobacco, especiallyelectronic cigarettes, is increasing and becoming more prevalent. Therefore,the ministry is concerned that without timely restrictive measures, the nationwill soon face a new wave of e-cigarette addiction, which is equally harmful totraditional tobacco./.
Speaking at the 9th Lao National Assembly’s 6thsession, General Vilay Lakhamphong, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of PublicSecurity, stressed that electronic cigarettes, one of the emerging issues ofsocial concerns, are yet to be listed as prohibited substances. Therefore, inthe near future, they will be added to the list of products containing banned addictivesubstances and precursors.
According to the country’s Ministry of Health, tobacco-relateddiseases are the leading cause of death in the country, accounting for about65%. It is estimated that tobacco causes hundreds of thousands of chronicdiseases and claims the lives of 6,700 people annually.
In fact, the rate of Lao youth using tobacco, especiallyelectronic cigarettes, is increasing and becoming more prevalent. Therefore,the ministry is concerned that without timely restrictive measures, the nationwill soon face a new wave of e-cigarette addiction, which is equally harmful totraditional tobacco./.
VNA
