“In the future, we must address the issue of disabled children.” Kadyrov calls for e-cigarette ban

Alisher Kadyrov, a deputy in the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis and head of the Milliy Tiklanish Democratic Party faction, has called for the adoption of a law to ban e-cigarettes in Uzbekistan. He made this statement during a session of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis.

"First of all, I would like to express my gratitude to the Ministry of Health for initiating this law. It is a highly relevant and important issue," Kadyrov said. "Unfortunately, we were unable to pass this bill in the previous convocation. Our faction put in considerable effort, but we could not convince our colleagues in the prior convocation of its significance, which is likely why it was not adopted, or there may have been other factors. However, the support from all factions in the current assembly fills us with pride," he added.

Kadyrov pointed out that 6 percent of the population in Uzbekistan smokes, with 1 percent using e-cigarettes, while the remaining 5 percent are traditional smokers. He emphasized that while the effects of traditional smoking are well-documented, the harmful effects of e-cigarettes, especially due to the chemical compounds they contain, are more severe. According to Kadyrov, this could result in irreparable harm to future generations, potentially leading to a "mutated generation."

"If this affects DNA, we must address the issue of disabled children in future generations," Kadyrov remarked. "Moreover, Uzbekistan faces significant health challenges that must be tackled for the well-being of the upcoming generations."

In his speech, Kadyrov outlined several reasons why some lawmakers had opposed the bill banning e-cigarettes:

"First, while alcohol and traditional tobacco are harmful, the damage they cause can be mitigated to some extent. However, the complex chemical elements found in e-cigarettes do not leave the human body. They damage DNA, severely impair intellectual development, and pose serious risks to reproductive health."

"Second, while alcohol and tobacco consumption predominantly affects adults, who have already made their own choices, e-cigarettes are spreading among schoolchildren and young people under 30. Two-thirds of users are young people, and half of them are girls. This is a looming public health disaster, and without intervention, the future consequences will be devastating."

"If we do not act now, in 20 years, no law or government program will be able to help the intellectually weakened segments of the population," he concluded.

It was previously reported that Uzbekistan may soon prohibit the storage, transportation, or sale of certain types of tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, for production, preparation, or sale purposes.