Secretary of the Judicial Academy Youth Union: Youth Union members must be the pioneer force in preventing and combating the harmful effects of tobacco

MSc. Pham Quang Tien, Member of the Executive Committee of the Youth Union, Secretary of the Youth Union of the Judicial Academy, shared with Vietnam Law Newspaper about the difficulties in preventing the harmful effects of tobacco, especially new tobacco, about the coordination model and orientation to promote the role of youth and young students of the Judicial Academy in building a civilized, tobacco-free learning and working environment.

- With the characteristics of being a training facility for judicial positions and supplementary According to the Secretary of the Judicial Academy Youth Union, what difficulties and challenges are the work of preventing the harmful effects of tobacco in the Judicial Academy environment facing?

MSc. Pham Quang Tien: In my opinion, tobacco harm prevention work at the Judicial Academy is facing many difficulties. originating from the main training characteristics, training and organizational structure of the Academy. The student population is very diverse, from students participating in training programs for judicial and judicial support positions such as lawyers, notaries, auctioneers, bailiffs, enforcement officers, etc., to training courses for civil servants and public employees. In addition, there are civil servants and employees of the Academy . Each group has different ages, working environments and living habits, leading to significant differences in awareness and behavior related to tobacco.

In addition, the nature of the working and learning environment at the Judicial Academy with its high intensity and pressure from work causes some students and even a number of officials and employees, especially young officials and employees, to tend to use cigarettes, especially new cigarettes, as a way to relieve stress. The fact that electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products are promoted on social networks with the image of "less toxic" further increases misunderstandings, affecting the effectiveness of propaganda.

In addition, the Academy campus is large, and the tobacco users are mainly adults, so monitoring and reminding are not always thoroughly implemented, while sanctions for violations are limited and not really deterrent enough. All these factors require the Academy Youth Union to innovate propaganda methods, approach both students and officials, workers, especially the young generation of the Academy in appropriate, effective and close to the characteristics of the Judicial Academy.

- What specific activities does the Academy's Youth Union have to raise awareness, build a smoke-free environment, and encourage students, staff and workers to participate in tobacco harm prevention? In particular, given the strong penetration of new tobacco products among young people, what communication strategies does the Union have to effectively reach out?

MSc. Pham Quang Tien: Recently, the Youth Union of the Judicial Academy has carried out many communication activities aimed at both students and staff and workers . Special attention is paid to civil servants and young workers - groups that are easily affected by the e-cigarette trend on social networks.

Through the fanpage, the Delegation regularly updates propaganda content based on scientific information, medical warnings and analysis of legal regulations related to the use, promotion or sale of electronic cigarettes. The Delegation also reports to the Party Committee and the Academy's leadership for permission to place billboards and posters in the Academy's buildings and working areas, helping to create a visual reminder environment for both young and old people.

In particular, to effectively reach the group of students, civil servants and young workers who have the habit of using social networks, the Union has prioritized the development of concise and easy-to-understand communication products such as infographics, short videos or media news updating the latest warnings about the harmful effects of electronic cigarettes.

These activities not only contribute to raising awareness but also encourage the substantive participation of students and staff in building a civilized, healthy, smoke-free environment at the Judicial Academy.

- In case students use tobacco, especially new tobacco, what measures does the Academy's Youth Union take to help students quit smoking?

MSc. Pham Quang Tien: When discovering students using tobacco, especially electronic cigarettes, the Judicial Academy Youth Union always chooses an approach based on the spirit of frank exchange, respect and support, suitable to the characteristics of the Academy's students. First of all, the Youth Union officers directly approach to listen to the reasons and habits of tobacco use of students, and at the same time provide accurate information about the harmful effects on health, impact on professional image as well as legal risks related to new tobacco products.

Ms. Dang Thi Lan Anh, Member of the Executive Committee of the Judicial Academy Youth Union

The goal of the Union is to support students - adults, many of whom are working or will work in the judicial field - to clearly recognize their professional responsibilities and proactively quit smoking, contributing to building a civilized, healthy and smoke-free learning and working environment throughout the Academy as well as in society.

The Executive Committee also proactively coordinates with the Department of Training and Student Affairs, the Center for Staff Training and specialized departments to strengthen reminders during class hours, class activities and study regulations, thereby creating unity and consensus among all students.

The group provides documents and scientific information on measures to limit and quit smoking, and organizes short discussions and shares experiences from people who have successfully quit smoking to help students have a more realistic perspective. For the group of young students and young civil servants and workers - who are easily affected by the trend of electronic cigarettes on social networks - the group strengthens communication through visual, concise products such as infographics and warning articles, helping them access information clearly and make the right choice.

- Could you please tell us the specific criteria and activities to strongly promote the exemplary role of Youth Union officials and active youth union members to spread a healthy, smoke-free lifestyle to all students in the Academy?

MSc. Pham Quang Tien: To spread a healthy lifestyle and build a smoke-free environment at the Judicial Academy, promoting the exemplary role of the Youth Union officials and the Youth Union members plays a key role. First of all, the Youth Union Executive Committee needs to demonstrate exemplary behavior by absolutely not using tobacco and electronic cigarettes on the Academy campus, thereby creating prestige and persuasiveness in propaganda work.

In addition, the Academy's youth union members need to proactively participate in communication activities, share information about the harmful effects of tobacco, and remind students and colleagues in a civilized manner, appropriate to the legal training environment.

Another important criterion is the sense of responsibility and standard attitude: Union officials and youth union members must always maintain a professional image and be an example of disciplined lifestyle - which is especially necessary in a legal training environment.

In addition, the Youth Union members and youth at the units of the Academy are also encouraged to join, because they are the ones who regularly contact the students and have a real influence on their behavior. When all young people - whether Union officials or members - clearly demonstrate exemplary spirit, proactively promote and say no to cigarettes, a healthy lifestyle will spread naturally, sustainably and form a common culture of the entire Judicial Academy.

- To overcome difficulties and effectively implement tobacco harm prevention work at the unit, how does the Academy's Youth Union establish and maintain a coordination mechanism both inside and outside the Academy?

MSc. Pham Quang Tien: To effectively implement the work of preventing and combating the harmful effects of tobacco in the Judicial Academy, the establishment of a synchronous coordination mechanism between units inside and outside the Academy plays a very important role. First of all, within the Academy, the Youth Union expands propaganda activities to all officials and employees through close coordination with specialized units and socio-political organizations such as the Trade Union and the Veterans Association. Propaganda and reminder contents are integrated into Party cell activities, thematic activities and regular meetings and briefings, contributing to creating consensus in building a smoke-free working environment. This is especially important, because the team of officials and employees has a direct influence on the awareness and behavior of students during their studies at the Academy.

The Delegation also proactively updates information, documents and new recommendations from the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Justice and relevant agencies to promptly convey to students, officials and employees of the Academy in various forms, helping propaganda work always closely follow legal regulations and new trends on electronic cigarettes. At the same time , the Delegation strengthens connections with the Ministry of Justice Delegation and solidarity units, coordinating units to participate in common activities, thereby ensuring consistency in approach and spreading communication messages widely and effectively. Thanks to such a close coordination mechanism, tobacco harm prevention activities at the Academy are implemented synchronously, in depth and in accordance with the characteristics of the judicial training environment.

- Can you share the upcoming orientation/activity plan of the Academy Youth Union in the work of preventing/fighting the harmful effects of tobacco?

MSc. Pham Quang Tien: In the coming time, the Judicial Academy Youth Union will carry out tobacco harm prevention work in a more systematic, sustainable and appropriate manner to the Academy's characteristics as an environment for training and fostering judicial and judicial support positions. First of all, the Youth Union Executive Committee determined that it is necessary to build a stable and in-depth propaganda mechanism, in which communication content is regularly updated, expressed in many forms suitable for adult students and civil servants, young workers - groups that are susceptible to the impact of new tobacco.

In parallel with maintaining coordination between units in the Academy, the Youth Union aims to enhance the exemplary responsibility of the Youth Union cadres, members and active youth to create common standards in the entire learning and working environment. The Youth Union also aims to standardize soft reminder and monitoring activities by integrating anti-tobacco content into regular activities, building simple, easy-to-remember rules of conduct that are suitable for the working environment at the Academy.

The Union will continue to promote internal communication work, ensuring that the content is both closely following legal regulations and suitable for the reality of tobacco use in the training environment, fostering judicial and judicial support positions. In the long term, the Union's orientation is to create a civilized, smoke-free environment based on the self-awareness and responsibility of each individual, instead of relying solely on reminders or inspections. The combination of extensive communication, setting good examples, close coordination between units and building a common culture of behavior will be the foundation for tobacco harm prevention work at the Academy to achieve sustainable results.

- What recommendations or proposals does the Judicial Academy Youth Union have to send to the Academy's leaders and state management agencies to improve the effectiveness of building a smoke-free environment in the Judicial Academy - a judicial and judicial support training facility?

MSc. Pham Quang Tien: To make the work of preventing and combating the harmful effects of tobacco in the Judicial Academy more effective, in addition to the efforts of the Youth Union and units in the Academy, we look forward to receiving attention and support from the Party Committee, the Academy's Leadership as well as the Ministry of Justice and state management agencies. For the Party Committee and the Academy's Leadership, we propose to continue to improve and update internal regulations related to the use of tobacco and electronic cigarettes on the Academy's campus, while strengthening signs, no-smoking areas and necessary monitoring conditions to ensure feasibility in implementation.

In addition, the Academy's Board of Directors can consider providing additional resources for communication work, helping the Youth Union develop modern propaganda content suitable for students as well as young staff and workers in the Academy.

For state management agencies, we recommend continuing to improve the legal basis related to e-cigarettes and new tobacco products to prevent harmful products that are strongly affecting young people and adults through the Internet. It is necessary to strengthen the inspection and control of the sale and advertising of e-cigarettes on online platforms.

The complete ban on these new tobacco products will create favorable conditions for educational and training institutions such as the Judicial Academy to better carry out propaganda work and maintain a civilized, smoke-free working and learning environment.

Source: https://baophapluat.vn/bi-thu-doan-co-so-hoc-vien-tu-phap-doan-vien-phai-la-luc-luong-tien-phong-phong-chong-tac-hai-thuoc-la.html