Raising awareness and capacity to prevent and combat the harmful effects of tobacco

With the common goal of reducing the rate of tobacco use, the rate of passive exposure to tobacco smoke, reducing diseases and deaths caused by the use of tobacco products for the people, Lam Dong Provincial People's Committee has issued a Plan to prevent and combat the harmful effects of tobacco in 2025 in the province.

Students of Don Duong High School participate in the Contest to Learn about the Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms

The specific goal is to continue raising public awareness of the harmful effects of tobacco use, the provisions of the Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms and guiding documents. Reduce the rate of tobacco use among men aged 15 and over to below 42%, and among women aged 15 and over to below 2.4%. 100% of provincial leaders and departments, branches, and localities understand the provisions of the Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms; 97% of people in the community understand the harmful effects of tobacco; 98% of people in the community understand the diseases caused by smoking; 70% of people in the community know the provisions of the Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms.

Continue to improve capacity on tobacco harm prevention and control to organize the implementation of smoke-free environments, provide smoking cessation counseling, teach about tobacco harm prevention and control, change occupations for tobacco growers, strengthen inspection and supervision of the implementation of the Law on Tobacco Harm Prevention and Control. Strengthen the Steering Committee for Tobacco Harm Prevention and Control; issue plans on tobacco harm prevention and control. 90% of the province's administrative agencies strictly implement regulations prohibiting smoking in indoor workplaces; 198 kindergartens strictly implement regulations prohibiting smoking in school premises; 244 primary schools strictly implement regulations prohibiting smoking in school premises; 130 secondary schools strictly implement regulations prohibiting smoking in school premises; 59 high schools strictly implement regulations prohibiting smoking in school premises; 28 inter-level schools strictly implement regulations prohibiting smoking in school premises.

At the same time, 50 restaurants strictly implement the regulation of no smoking in the indoor areas of the restaurant; 8 colleges and universities strictly implement the regulation of no smoking in the indoor areas; 100% of provincial and district hospitals have regulations on implementing a smoke-free environment in the premises of the unit; 85% of provincial and district hospitals strictly implement a smoke-free environment in the premises of the unit. In addition, 90% of passenger transport companies implement the regulation of no smoking on passenger transport vehicles; 20 factories and enterprises strictly implement the regulation of no smoking in indoor workplaces; 15 hotels implement the regulation of having a separate area for smokers in accordance with the Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms or strictly implement the regulation of no smoking in the indoor areas of the hotel.

Specific activities include: Improving the effectiveness and efficiency of state management in the implementation of tobacco harm prevention and control. Continuing to thoroughly grasp the contents of Resolution No. 20-NQ/TW dated October 25, 2017 of the 6th Conference of the 12th Party Central Committee on strengthening the protection, care and improvement of people's health in the new situation. Perfecting the Steering Committee for Tobacco Harm Prevention and Control at all levels; developing and implementing annual tobacco harm prevention and control plans in accordance with the functions and tasks of agencies, units and localities. Issuing documents directing the strict implementation of the Law on Tobacco Harm Prevention and Control; including the regulation prohibiting smoking in the workplace in the internal regulations of agencies and units; posting regulations and rules in the office; including the content of no smoking in the workplace in the criteria for evaluating emulation and rewards of cadres, civil servants, public employees and workers; Include the content of tobacco harm prevention and control in village and hamlet conventions and regulations. Direct inter-sectoral coordination between agencies, unions and organizations participating in tobacco harm prevention and control; promote the role of the provincial Fatherland Front and its member organizations, socio -political and professional organizations in participating in and supervising the implementation of tobacco harm prevention and control. Regularly urge, inspect and evaluate the implementation of tobacco harm prevention and control; take the results of tobacco harm prevention and control as a criterion to evaluate the level of task completion of leaders, Party committees and authorities at all levels.

Improve capacity on tobacco harm prevention and control to organize the implementation of smoke-free environments, provide advice on smoking cessation, and teach about tobacco harm prevention and control. Organize direct communication sessions on tobacco harm prevention and control, popularize the harmful effects of tobacco (including traditional cigarettes and electronic cigarettes), the benefits of a smoke-free environment, disseminate the Law on Tobacco Harm Prevention and Control and guiding documents at agencies, units, hospitals, schools, factories and communities in the province. Provide training on building smoke-free environments in restaurants, hotels, workplaces, schools and hospitals; provide training and equip knowledge on tobacco harm prevention and control for school teachers to teach extracurricular activities; provide guidance on developing content and organizing the inclusion of education on the harmful effects and prevention and control of tobacco harm into the educational program appropriate to all levels of education; Training for health workers and village health workers on community-based smoking cessation counseling. Organizing activities to respond to the National Smoke-Free Week from May 25 to 31. Developing a network of collaborators on tobacco harm prevention to enhance inter-sectoral coordination between departments, branches, agencies, and relevant units in the province. Organizing a contest to learn about tobacco harm prevention for students and youth unions in the province to raise awareness among students and youth about the harmful effects of tobacco and build a smoke-free environment. Training for police officers and officers participating in inspection work at departments, branches, and sectors in the province on documents and regulations of the Law on Tobacco Harm Prevention and Control, and regulations on smoke-free environments.

Strengthen and innovate information,education and communication activities on tobacco harm prevention and control. Regularly update documents and information on tobacco harms, especially new tobacco products; benefits of quitting smoking, living environment without tobacco smoke; policies and laws on tobacco harm prevention and control. Strengthen propaganda on tobacco harm prevention and control. Install communication products on tobacco harm prevention and control such as: "No smoking" signs, leaflets on tobacco cessation counseling, billboards, etc. Strengthen inspection, supervision and handling of violations related to tobacco harm prevention and control.

Source: https://baolamdong.vn/xa-hoi/202505/nang-cao-nhan-thuc-va-nang-luc-phong-chong-tac-hai-cua-thuoc-la-7c378de/