Recently, the use of electronic cigarettes and heat-not-burn products by many young people in Cambodia has attracted the attention of the government. The Ministry of Education and the Police Department are strengthening the prevention and crackdown on electronic cigarettes.

A woman in her 20s said she occasionally vaped while hanging out with friends, enjoying flavors like melon, orange, strawberry and grapefruit, as well as the stress relief of exhaling steam.

"After vaping, I have a pleasant feeling in my mouth and throat because it has a fruity flavor and you can exhale large or small pieces of smoke depending on your mood.

"But long-term smoking can make your throat worse, start to feel dry, and cause a cough," said the young woman, Lida.

Lida lives in the Meanchey district of Phnom Penh, holds a bachelor's degree and currently works for a private company in Phnom Penh.

She said she usually buys e-cigarettes online and started using them about two years ago, but doesn't use them regularly, only using them when she's hanging out with friends or going to clubs.

A resident of Boeung Keng Kang district, who asked not to be named, said he started using e-cigarettes after working as an interpreter for a Chinese man who frequented restaurants and entertainment venues in Phnom Penh at night.

The 20-year-old said he also bought e-cigarettes online.

"After smoking or vaping, I feel less stressed. But it makes me feel like I need cigarettes and it becomes a habit because they contain some addictive substances," he said.

The Post recently observed some coffee shops and 24-hour supermarkets near Phnom Penh High School. A security guard in a 24-mart district in Chroy Changvar said about 10 young people had been hanging out in the neighborhood for two or three years, chatting and smoking.

"In the past two years, there has been a coffee shop near the 24-hour supermarket, and many children have gathered there to smoke," he said.

According to the Cambodian Ministry of Health's bulletin on "Effects of E-Cigarette Use", e-cigarettes are electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), and although there are non-nicotine delivery systems, 99% of e-cigarettes contain nicotine.

The ministry said the majority of the evidence showed that vaping is harmful to health.

E-cigarettes contain varying amounts of nicotine, which can lead to addiction and health problems. In children and adolescents, it can severely affect brain development, memory, learning and anxiety, according to the Ministry of Health.

Experimenting with e-cigarettes is the main way for young people to gradually take up regular cigarettes and future drug use.

According to the Ministry of Health, e-cigarette use can also cause problems with fetal growth and brain development in pregnant women.

Indirect inhalation of e-cigarette smoke is also dangerous because it contains nicotine and harmful substances.

According to the Ministry of Health, there is substantial evidence that vaping can damage the lungs through the release of water vapour containing nicotine and ultrafine particles, which have the ability to penetrate deep into the lungs. The chemicals used in e-cigarette flavorings can also cause serious lung disease.

Since 2019, the Home Office's National Narcotics Control Administration (NACD) has banned e-cigarettes after finding them to be dangerous and endanger the health of users.

The NACD instructs police to take precautionary measures to stop the use, trade and import of e-cigarettes and hookah pipes, before adding further guidance on e-cigarettes and other heated tobacco products (HTP) measures in 2021.

Recently, the Ministry of Health and other authorities have observed on social media such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok that e-cigarettes and HTPs are being promoted using exaggerated messages, such as as a smoking cessation tool and as being safer than real cigarettes.

Such advertising is illegal and violates guidelines on measures to prevent the import, distribution, sale and use of e-cigarettes in Cambodia.

The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MoEYS) issued a directive on June 24 on preventing the use of e-cigarettes and HTPs in public and private educational institutions.

The Ministry of Education has instructed municipal and provincial education departments, district education offices, private and public education units at all levels to provide comprehensive guidance on the effects of e-cigarettes and HTPs.

With all forms of vaping and HTP banned on and off campus, the ministry added that parents, guardians, educators and students should work together to identify where they are sold and distributed, and report to authorities for legal action.

After receiving information on the use of e-cigarettes and HTP by young people, the Preah Sihanoukville Ministry of Education held a meeting on June 20-25 to develop strategies to prevent the spread of e-cigarettes to schools.

Ouch Sophea, director of Preah Sihanoukville's education department, said all schools in the province check students' bags every day during class and during recess.

She said the school principal also organized Boy Scouts, Cambodian Red Cross youth and the Youth and Children's Committee to inspect toilets and other public places.

"We did not find any students with e-cigarettes or HTPs or were using them all the time. All the school principals said no students were using e-cigarettes and HTPs at any school," she said.

Sophea said that even if students are not found using e-cigarettes or HTPs, public and private educational institutions in the province should remain vigilant, especially with regard to advertisements that may attract students.

Hem Sinareth, director of Phnom Penh's education department, said he also held meetings with educational institutions and officials after receiving information about youth use of e-cigarettes and HTP to take immediate action to prevent its spread to schools.

“We have spread this work to public secondary schools. We urge all secondary schools to continue to monitor and educate students about vaping after the national anthem every day,” Sinareth said.

The National Police issued an order on June 22 to continue cracking down on e-cigarettes in conjunction with relevant departments.

From June 23 to 25, 31 people were arrested at 15 different locations in Phnom Penh, and were given legal education to sign contracts to stop the sale and circulation of e-cigarettes and HTPs.

Police seized a total of 3,409 Yooz and Vape e-cigarettes, three hookah pens, 2,785 bottles of Yooz and Vape refills, 922 boxes of e-cigarette equipment, 1,266 Yooz and Vape e-cigarette kits, and six boxes of e-cigarette chargers.

Dr. Mom Kong, executive director of the Cambodia Movement for Health (CMH), said vaping has caused significant health damage.

"E-cigarettes damage brain cells and can severely damage the lungs due to the vapor particles they contain. Vaping is also a Covid-19 transmission problem, as teens share vaping," Dr Kong said.