A pang of sadness and a touch of melancholy.

The incident involving the dried fish in the pipe is not an isolated incident. It is merely the tip of the iceberg in the current state of food safety and hygiene management.

The topic of "smoking a pipe" has become a hot topic on social media in recent days - Illustration photo.

I couldn't help but feel disheartened witnessing the public's reaction to the phenomenon of "heartache over smoking."

It's not just a concern about the truth being revealed about food safety, but also about the inconsistencies and overlaps in how we manage food safety and hygiene while maintaining social trust.

The stinginess of the pipe and management loopholes.

The issue of cigarette burning has suddenly become the focus of debate, following the emergence of a video clip showing food processing workers operating in severely unsanitary conditions.

These disturbing images quickly spread on social media, triggering a wave of angry, skeptical, and bewildered comments from consumers.

A series of questions arise: Who is responsible? Why did the authorities allow such establishments to slip through the cracks? Are the foods we believe to be clean really trustworthy?

Concerns about contaminated food, which had been simmering for some time, have now flared up, further eroding the trust millions of people have in their daily meals.

Sadly, eating – the most basic human need – has become a constant source of anxiety.

The incident of people getting drunk is not an isolated event.

This is just the tip of the iceberg in the current state of food safety and hygiene management.

Over the years, we have issued numerous regulations, standards, and food inspection systems, from production and processing to transportation and consumption. However, their actual effectiveness is still far from what is required.

Many food processing facilities operate without permits, with poor hygiene conditions, untrained staff, and untraceable raw materials, yet they continue to exist openly.

Inspection and monitoring activities by relevant authorities lack regularity; in some places, there are even complaints that inspections are seasonal or pre-announced.

The worrying thing is that the penalties imposed after violations are discovered are not yet strong enough to deter future offenses.

Fines? Relocate and reopen. Closure? Open a new one under a different name.

This vicious cycle makes consumers victims in a market lacking transparency and fairness.

What can I do to stop feeling heartbroken?

Every time a case of contaminated food is exposed, and every time the authorities react slowly, people's hearts grow colder a little more.

The cigarette-smoking incident is an opportunity to re-examine the core issues, not just a crackdown on the movement.

State management of food safety needs to shift from a "reactive" to a "proactive" approach: strengthening unannounced inspections, strictly enforcing regulations, ensuring transparency, and most importantly, ensuring traceability of origin.

The role of local authorities, especially at the ward/commune level, in supervising small-scale businesses must be substantially strengthened.

And at its core, it remains a question of professional ethics.

Food service workers—whether in small eateries or large businesses—need to be aware that they are safeguarding not only public health but also social dignity.

A civilized society cannot accept "conditional conscience".

This is the time for society to reflect on itself and together uphold a truly complete "heart." Not just a "pure heart," but also trust, humanity, and self-respect!

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Dr. Pham Di

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/long-se-dieu-va-chut-se-long-20250509113959032.htm