A demonstration policy debate on whether e-cigarettes should be regulated was held in Taipei on March 8, 2022, showing how different public policy views can be rationally discussed, the Taipei Times reported. The debate was hosted by the Chinese Debate Promotion Association (CDPA) at the Ngo House in Taipei.
In January, the Executive Yuan approved a draft amendment to the Tobacco Harm Prevention Law proposed by the Ministry of Health and Welfare for legislative review, said CDPA chairman and founder Jha Peed. Proposed regulations on emerging tobacco products have sparked discussion, he said.
The amendment classifies emerging tobacco products as "class TOBACCO products" and "designated tobacco products." E-cigarettes will be classified as "tobacco products" and banned altogether, while heated tobacco products will be classified as "designated tobacco products" and regulated.
The reasons behind the ban include keeping curious teens away from e-cigarette products, preventing consumers from adding nicotine to e-cigarette oil, and reducing the risk of teen users turning to smoking.
Debate participants went back and forth on the pros and cons of regulating e-cigarettes versus banning them, raising topics such as public health, tax options and youth use.
Kang Jaw-Jou, dean of the School of Pharmacy at National Yangming Jiaotong University (NYCU), said he was moved by the arguments for and against e-cigarettes. He said one side suggested regulating e-cigarette use directly through regulations and approval systems, while the other emphasized their attitude to life - banning the use of a substance if the public agreed that it was harmful to society.
Xiangcui Wang, an associate professor at New York University's School of Pharmacy, said many aspects of the topic can be debated, but e-cigarettes can have negative health effects, and supporters and opponents must make that fact clear to the public in further discussions.