Why are young people addicted to vaping?

But health experts warn about the serious health risks vaping poses.

Duy, an eighth-grade student in Hanoi, said a quarter of students in his class of 30 vape. The children in the class are typically 13-14 years old.

He discovered vaping three months ago from an older student and saved up by skipping breakfast for weeks to buy a vape.

"It's just fruit-flavored vapor," he says, inhaling from a cartoon-themed vape pen he took out from his bag as soon as he left the school gate.

He admits that he felt restless if he does not vape daily.

Hanh, 42, of Hanoi was shocked to see her 15-year-old daughter vape. "My daughter promised to quit every time I caught her vaping, but she has not," she says.

Eight of her 25 classmates also vape, she said, adding that she has considered sending her daughter to a different school, or to a rehab center.

E-cigarettes in different shapes, from a milk box to a tiger water bottle. Photo by VnExpress/Le Nga

According to the Ministry of Health, vape usage among children aged 13-15 rose from 3.5% in 2022 to 8% in 2023. Among teens aged above 15, younger people generally vaped more.

Dr. Ha Anh Duc, head of the Ministry of Health's department of medical services administration, warns: "This rise in vape use could reverse the gains made in reducing traditional cigarette smoking over the last decade."

Le Thi Thu, a representative of Health Bridge Vietnam, says the vape industry targets youth as replacements for traditional cigarette users, especially as governments increase anti-smoking measures.

Some 58% of e-cigarette users are first-time smokers, she says.

She says young people are drawn to vaping for many reasons: wanting to appear mature, peer influence and coping with personal or academic pressures.

"The easy availability and low cost of vaping are the biggest reasons why it is popular with youths."

In Vietnam, vapes are widely advertised on social media. They feature trendy designs, compact sizes, various flavors, and affordable prices.

They are promoted by celebrities and sold widely online.

Bungon Ritthiphakdee, director of the Global Center for Good Governance in Tobacco Control based in Thailand, says the tobacco industry is trying to bypass existing regulations by introducing products like vape and heated tobacco.

The tobacco industry promotes these new products as harm-reduction alternatives to regular cigarettes.

E-cigarettes are displayed among milk boxes at a drink shop in Vietnam. Photo by VnExpress/Hanh Nguyen

But Nguyen Tuan Lam, a representative of the World Health Organization in Vietnam, warns that vapes contain nicotine, a highly addictive substance, and poses health risks, particularly to children, teenagers and pregnant women.

Toxic substances in e-liquids and vapor can harm users and those nearby, he says.

He also warns that vaping is not an effective tool to end smoking, and many people trying to quit smoking with vape ended up using both products.

Young vape users are three times more likely to start smoking cigarettes, he adds.

The Ministry of Health is drafting a resolution in response to this new trend, seeking to ban the production, sale, import, and advertising of vape and similar products.

It also plans to amend the Tobacco Harm Prevention Law to ensure regulatory consistency in the long term.