E-cigarette trading has become more popular in Vietnam, and authorities seem unable to control it.
An online advertising page of e-cigarette
Traders always promote new products with deceptively flattering advertisements. The E-cigarette is a battery-operated inhaler that’s meant to simulate and/or be a substitute for, tobacco smoking. It generally utilizes a heating element that vaporizes a liquid solution. Some release nicotine, while some merely release a flavored vapor. They are often designed to mimic traditional items, such as cigarettes or cigars, in their use and appearance.
According to Vu Vinh Phu, Chairman of the Hanoi Supermarket Association, the e-cigarette business is not yet licensed in Vietnam.
“This is a new product which can damage people’s health, therefore, the state should both restrict to the maximum the import of e-cigarettes and if importation is allowed, quality control must be tightened,” Phu proposed.
Traders use various tricks to evade the law; for example our reporter was very surprised to find that a children’s clothing shop in Trung Kinh Street, Cau Giay District, was selling these cigarettes.
Finding an e-cigarette advertisement posted online, the reported phoned the owner to ask about the price. The owner then openly gave the prices of various types of his products, including the top-of-the-line US made product which sells for VND1.1 million-1.3 million (USD52.3-61.9). However, when the reporter went to the shop in Cu Loc Street, Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi, there was nothing to indicate there was a shop there, it was just a normal house.
The reporter then went to D-Link Company on Dai Co Viet Street, Hanoi, which also sells e-cigarettes without any outside sign or other visible information. A staff member said that due to not being licensed, the company can’t sell this kind of product openly; customers usually find the shop address on the internet and just come over.
According to the reporter’s investigation, the attar tube has the stamp “Made in Canada” on the product label; there’s no bar code to prove its origin. The staff member explained that the firm only imported the product for sale directly to customers, therefore, all necessary legal information is missing because the e-cigarette business is not yet licensed.
When asked whether the “Made in USA” attar tubes are genuine, no confirmation was forthcoming from the sellers. They simply said that their companies are only retail outlets and all quality control responsibilities belong to the suppliers.
Đăng ký: VietNam News
