Working with the delegation were comrades: Phung Thi Kim Nga, Provincial Party Committee member, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; Le Hong Trung, Provincial Party Committee member, Director of the Department of Health ; representatives of leaders of a number of relevant departments, branches and units.
Scene of the working session with the Department of Health. Photo: Tra Huong
Implementing the work of preventing and combating the harmful effects of tobacco, in 2 years (2023-2024), Vinh Phuc has issued and deployed many important documents, promoted communication, training, inspection, supervision and built a smoke-free environment model at medical facilities, schools and offices.
In particular, Vinh Phuc has effectively implemented a communication campaign on electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products - new types that are increasing rapidly among young people.
In 2 years, the authorities conducted 31 inspections on tobacco products, discovered and handled 14 violations with fines of more than 27 million VND, and forced the destruction of 90 packs of 555 brand cigarettes that were harmful to users.
Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly 's Committee for Culture and Society Do Thi Lan speaks at the meeting. Photo: Tra Huong
Synchronously implementing solutions, people's awareness of preventing and combating the harmful effects of tobacco is increasingly raised. In 2024, the rate of people aged 15 and over in Vinh Phuc using tobacco is 18.4%, down 2.2% compared to 2020.
However, the implementation of the Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms still faces many difficulties because a segment of the population is not fully aware of the harmful effects of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and heated tobacco products.
In addition, the State has not yet had a policy to encourage medical facilities to provide counseling and treatment for smoking cessation; spending on tobacco harm prevention and control activities is still low; tobacco prices are still low, and there is a shortage of human resources participating in tobacco harm prevention and control...
Currently, the province has no registered units to manufacture, export, or import electronic cigarettes or heated tobacco products. To date, the Department of Industry and Trade has granted tobacco wholesale licenses to 8 units and tobacco raw material trading licenses to 1 unit. There is 1 unit that processes, manufactures, and assembles components for electronic cigarettes.
Units licensed by the Department of Industry and Trade to wholesale tobacco and trade tobacco products strictly comply with the provisions of the law on tobacco trading.
Vice Chairwoman of the Provincial People's Committee Phung Thi Kim Nga spoke at the meeting. Photo: Tra Huong
At the meeting, delegates requested the National Assembly and the Government to soon issue regulations on penalties for the use of e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and the trading and harboring of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products. Increase taxes on tobacco production activities; increase penalties for violations of regulations on tobacco harm prevention.
The Ministry of Health and the Tobacco Harm Prevention Fund provide funding for inspection and punishment of violations. Pay attention to and support people who want to quit smoking, e-cigarettes, and heated tobacco; regulate prices for tobacco addiction counseling and treatment services...
Deputy Head of the Provincial National Assembly Delegation Nguyen Van Manh spoke at the meeting. Photo: Tra Huong
Speaking at the meeting, Vice Chairwoman of the Provincial People's Committee Phung Thi Kim Nga emphasized that in recent years, Vinh Phuc has paid special attention to the prevention of harmful effects of tobacco, electronic cigarettes, and heated tobacco products.
Assign departments, branches and localities to synchronously and effectively implement solutions, especially promoting propaganda work, raising people's awareness of the harmful effects of cigarettes, e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products to reduce the rate of people using cigarettes; promote the construction of cultural and civilized models of non-smoking in medical facilities, schools and public places.
Vice Chairwoman of the Provincial People's Committee Phung Thi Kim Nga assigned the Department of Health to review the province's directive documents, synthesize and complete the report to send to the Survey Team.
He suggested that the National Assembly study and amend the Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms, including raising taxes on tobacco production facilities and increasing selling prices to limit people's use of tobacco; at the same time, increasing sanctions against organizations and individuals who violate the law.
Director of the Department of Health Le Hong Trung speaks at the meeting. Photo: Tra Huong
Recognizing and appreciating Vinh Phuc's efforts in concretizing the Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms and resolutions and directions of the National Assembly and the Government, Vice Chairwoman of the Committee for Culture and Society Do Thi Lan suggested that the province continue to strengthen inter-sectoral coordination, step up monitoring and handling of violations; and at the same time, have a mechanism to support counseling and smoking cessation.
Regarding the recommendations of the province at the working session, the Survey Team will receive and synthesize the recommendations and send them to competent authorities for resolution in order to improve the effectiveness of tobacco harm prevention work.
Within the framework of the working session, the delegation of the National Assembly's Committee on Culture and Society visited Partron Vina Co., Ltd., Khai Quang Industrial Park (Vinh Yen) - a unit that processes, manufactures and assembles components and accessories for electronic cigarettes to clarify the difficulties in exporting electronic components related to electronic cigarettes after Decree 173 of the National Assembly officially took effect from January 14, 2025, causing businesses to temporarily suspend the export of electronic components related to electronic cigarettes.
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