World No Tobacco Day 31/5 - Condemning the 'false appeal' of cigarettes

15 million Vietnamese people are smoking

The Ministry of Health has just sent a document to the People's Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities on organizing activities in response to World No Tobacco Day on May 31, National No Tobacco Week from May 25 to 31, 2025, and strengthening the implementation of the Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), tobacco use is one of the biggest public health threats the world has ever faced. Every year, there are about 8 million deaths worldwide due to tobacco-related diseases, of which 1.3 million deaths are due to passive smoking.

In Vietnam, there are currently more than 15 million smokers, among the countries with the highest number of smokers in the world . Tobacco is the cause of death for more than 103,300 people, including 84,500 deaths from active smoking and 18,800 deaths from exposure to second-hand smoke. Diseases caused by tobacco include cancer, cardiovascular disease, and respiratory diseases... Notably, most of these deaths are of working age, reducing the quality and scale of the country's human resources.

Experts warn that as long as cigarettes are easily accessible and cheap, the younger generation continues to be at serious risk of exposure to secondhand smoke, leading to significant health burdens in the future.

A study by the Vietnam Health Economics Association in 2022 showed that the annual medical costs for treatment and loss of labor due to illness and premature death related to tobacco use in Vietnam are estimated at VND108 trillion. This figure is five times larger than the contribution of tax revenue from tobacco products to the national budget.

With the efforts of the Ministry of Health, ministries, branches, provinces and cities and the support of the Tobacco Harm Prevention Fund, over the past 10 years, tobacco harm prevention in Vietnam has achieved many results. The rate of cigarette use among adult males in Vietnam has decreased (an average decrease of 0.5% per year). The rate of cigarette smoking among adolescents aged 13-15 has decreased from 2.5% in 2014 to 1.9% in 2022.

However, according to the Ministry of Health, Vietnam is still one of the 15 countries with the highest rate of adult men smoking in the world.

"Reducing the rate of tobacco use in the community is an important goal in reducing health risk factors" is the guiding viewpoint in the National Strategy on Tobacco Harm Prevention and Control to 2030, issued by the Prime Minister on May 24, 2023. On November 30, 2024, the National Assembly issued Resolution No. 173, which includes the content of "prohibiting the production, trading, import, storage, transportation and use of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products from January 1, 2025".

5 tasks to be implemented

In response to World No Tobacco Day on May 31 and National No Tobacco Week from May 25 to 31, and to continue to strengthen the implementation of the Law on Tobacco Harm Prevention and Control, the National Strategy on Tobacco Harm Prevention and Control, especially promoting the implementation of Resolution No. 173/2024 of the National Assembly, the Ministry of Health requests that provinces and cities coordinate and direct the implementation of activities.

Firstly, organize the implementation of the Provincial People's Committee's Plan on implementing the National Strategy on Tobacco Harm Prevention to 2030, focusing on the content of including the target of reducing tobacco use rate in the local socio-economic development targets in each period.

Second, organize activities in response to World No Tobacco Day on May 31 and National No Tobacco Week from May 25 to 31, 2025 through practical activities such as: hanging banners and slogans; organizing rallies, conferences, parades and other forms of communication suitable to the actual situation in the province and city.

Third, regularly organize inspections and checks on compliance with smoking bans at medical facilities, educational institutions, workplaces, hotels, restaurants and other places where smoking is prohibited according to the provisions of the Law on Tobacco Harm Prevention; inspect, check and strictly handle violations of regulations on the prohibition of production, trading, import, harboring, transporting and using e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products according to Resolution No. 173/2024/QH15 of the National Assembly and other provisions of the Law on Tobacco Harm Prevention.

Fourth, strengthen information, education and communication on the Law on Tobacco Harm Prevention, the National Strategy on Tobacco Harm Prevention, and Resolution No. 173/2024 of the National Assembly on the content of "prohibiting the production, trading, import, harboring, transporting and using e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products".

Fifth, integrate tobacco harm prevention activities into the movements "All people unite to build new rural areas and civilized urban areas" and the movement "All people unite to build a cultural life".

Minh Trang

Source: https://baophapluat.vn/ngay-the-gioi-khong-thuoc-la-315-len-an-su-hap-dan-gia-tao-tu-thuoc-la-post548514.html