FOCUS ON SCHOOLS:
E-cigarettes are being sold illegally online, but the Ministry of Digital Affairs has ignored the issue, said KMT lawmaker Wan Mei-ling.

• By Rachel Lin and Esme Yeh / Staff reporter, with staff writer

The legislature’s Education and Culture Committee said yesterday it would set up an inter-ministerial anti-vaping platform within a month after a report showed there are about 80,000 teenagers vaping in Taiwan.

A 2021 survey showed that the number of high school students who smoked e-cigarettes rose to 3.9 percent, up from 1.9 percent in 2018, while the figure for high school and vocational students was of 8.8 percent, up from 3.4 percent. percent in 2018, the Health Promotion Administration (HPA) said.

An estimated 80,000 teenagers used e-cigarettes in 2021, the HPA said in the report, adding that they are causing a teen health crisis.

Photo: Taipei Times

The committee convened a meeting yesterday to discuss a review of school measures to prevent and control the use of e-cigarettes among teenagers.

Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmaker Wan Mei-ling (萬美玲) said an inter-ministerial effort was needed to remove e-cigarettes from campuses.

The responsibility should not be shouldered by teachers alone, Wan said.

The HPA, working with local authorities, has reported 1,000 cases of teenagers vaping outside of school and 38 cases on campuses, although it has taken responsibility for reducing vaping, she said.

E-cigarettes are widely and illegally sold through online channels, but the Ministry of Digital Affairs has ignored the issue and the National Police Agency has failed to act, Wan added.

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmaker Chen Hsiu-pao (陳秀?) criticized HPA director-general Wu Chao-chun (吳昭軍) for not attending the meeting, saying Wu should have answered questions from lawmakers on such an important issue.

HPA Deputy Director General Chia Shu-li (賈淑麗) said Wu is on a business trip abroad as international conferences tend to be held towards the end of the year.

DPP lawmaker Jean Kuo (郭昱晴) said teenagers could be vaping from friends, parents or relatives and warned against using flavored e-cigarettes, which appeal to teenagers but could be fatal.

The youngest vaping death in Taiwan was a 16-year-old, Kuo said, adding that e-cigarettes should never be considered a means to quit smoking.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare should issue prompt rulings and punishments for cases where adults entice teenagers to vape and share responsibility with teachers to discourage e-cigarette use on campuses, she said.

DPP lawmaker Fan Yun (范雲) said government authorities should assist teachers in anti-vaping campaigns on campus.

While schools have introduced e-cigarette control programs individually, the Ministry of Education should develop a top-down roadmap similar to its anti-drug program for schools, Fan said.

The HPA has focused on cracking down on illegal online sales of e-cigarettes, but so far convictions and sentences have been handed down in only 74 out of more than 35,000 cases, Chia said.

The HPA will step up its efforts, she said, adding that the latest data on teen vaping will be available soon.

Director-General of the Ministry of Justice’s Prosecution Department Kuo Yung-fa (郭永發) said the Narcotics Review Committee will convene a meeting next week to discuss whether etomidate – an ingredient in e-cigarettes – should be upgraded to a Category 2 drug, given its addiction, abuse and harm to society.

Education Minister Cheng Ying-yao (鄭英耀) said his ministry would work with local education bureaus to guide schools to report sellers or suppliers of e-cigarettes to public health authorities.

This could prevent e-cigarettes from entering schools by intercepting them at the source, Cheng said.