Scenes of cigarette smoking shown in films or TV dramas are generally accompanied by a warning such as “Smoking is not a good example to follow” or “Smoking is bad for your health.”
However, following the invention of new types of tobacco and smoking products such as electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) and heated tobacco devices, as well as their rising popularity among adolescents and young adults, government agencies responsible for public health should not just actively crack down on such products, but also strengthen the wording of these warnings.
Article 25 of the Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act (菸害防制法) stipulates that “images of smoking shall not be particularly emphasized in television programs, songs and music videos, drama and theatrical performances, sports events, or other forms of performances.”
Additionally, Article 10 of the Enforcement Rules of the Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act (菸害防制法施行細則) further stipulates that “where the scene of smoking occurs as necessary…the warning that smoking is harmful to health shall be displayed simultaneously.”
The problem is that most people’s idea about smoking being harmful to health is limited to likely causing chronic pulmonary diseases or lung cancer.
They do not realize that e-cigarettes, which their manufacturers portray as “tobacco substitutes that help you to quit smoking” and “taste cool and refreshing,” also contain nicotine and other toxic and carcinogenic substances — even illicit drugs —which are seriously harmful not only to users, but also to those who are exposed to secondhand smoke.
Therefore, if the warning displayed when scenes of vaping are shown in movies and TV dramas only says that “smoking is harmful to health,” it hardly conveys the message that e-cigarettes might be even more harmful than conventional cigarettes.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare should consider amending Article 10 of the Enforcement Rules of the Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act so that the warning not only says “smoking is harmful to health,” but also “electronic cigarette fumes may contain toxic and carcinogenic substances such as formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, ultra-fine particles and heavy metals that may cause obstructive bronchiolitis and damage your brain, heart, lungs, liver, kidneys and other organs.”
Hopefully such wording would convey a stronger message that would more effectively protect the public’s health.
Yeh Yu-cheng is a civil servant.
Translated by Julian Clegg
The return of US president-elect Donald Trump to the White House has injected a new wave of anxiety across the Taiwan Strait. For Taiwan, an island whose very survival depends on the delicate and strategic support from the US, Trump’s election victory raises a cascade of questions and fears about what lies ahead. His approach to international relations — grounded in transactional and unpredictable policies — poses unique risks to Taiwan’s stability, economic prosperity and geopolitical standing. Trump’s first term left a complicated legacy in the region. On the one hand, his administration ramped up arms sales to Taiwan and sanctioned
The US election result will significantly impact its foreign policy with global implications. As tensions escalate in the Taiwan Strait and conflicts elsewhere draw attention away from the western Pacific, Taiwan was closely monitoring the election, as many believe that whoever won would confront an increasingly assertive China, especially with speculation over a potential escalation in or around 2027. A second Donald Trump presidency naturally raises questions concerning the future of US policy toward China and Taiwan, with Trump displaying mixed signals as to his position on the cross-strait conflict. US foreign policy would also depend on Trump’s Cabinet and
The Taiwanese have proven to be resilient in the face of disasters and they have resisted continuing attempts to subordinate Taiwan to the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Nonetheless, the Taiwanese can and should do more to become even more resilient and to be better prepared for resistance should the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) try to annex Taiwan. President William Lai (賴清德) argues that the Taiwanese should determine their own fate. This position continues the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) tradition of opposing the CCP’s annexation of Taiwan. Lai challenges the CCP’s narrative by stating that Taiwan is not subordinate to the
Republican candidate and former US president Donald Trump is to be the 47th president of the US after beating his Democratic rival, US Vice President Kamala Harris, in the election on Tuesday. Trump’s thumping victory — winning 295 Electoral College votes against Harris’ 226 as of press time last night, along with the Republicans winning control of the US Senate and possibly the House of Representatives — is a remarkable political comeback from his 2020 defeat to US President Joe Biden, and means Trump has a strong political mandate to implement his agenda. What does Trump’s victory mean for Taiwan, Asia, deterrence
RSS