Message on World No Tobacco Day and National No Tobacco Week 2025

Organizing training for Bac Kan police officers on preventing and combating the harmful effects of tobacco

Tobacco use is one of the greatest public health threats the world has ever faced. Every year, more than 8 million people die worldwide, of which approximately 1.3 million are due to diseases related to passive smoking.

In Vietnam, according to estimates by the World Health Organization, tobacco use causes more than 100,000 deaths each year, of which 84,500 people die from diseases related to active smoking and 18,800 people die from diseases related to passive smoking. Tobacco use is causing a serious and increasing burden of disease and premature death, as well as medical costs. The economic loss due to tobacco is estimated at VND108 trillion per year (equivalent to 1.14% of GDP). This figure is 5 times larger than the contribution of tobacco tax revenue to the national budget.

The World Health Organization emphasized: “World No Tobacco Day 2025 is an opportunity to expose the ways that tobacco corporations around the world use to promote and market addictive products as well as to highlight false advertising tactics that deceive people, making tobacco products more attractive, especially to children and adolescents.”

Nicotine and tobacco products are highly addictive and dangerous to health, yet tobacco companies around the world are always looking for ways to attract people to use them. No tobacco product and no level of exposure to tobacco is considered safe for health, including pipes, cigars, heated tobacco, electronic cigarettes, roll-your-own tobacco, pipes and smokeless tobacco products. Cigarettes, new tobacco products and nicotine products are very harmful to health and even cause death for both smokers and non-smokers who are regularly exposed to secondhand smoke. For children and adolescents, these products can seriously impair brain development.

In 2025, the World Health Organization chose the theme “Exposing the false allure” with the aim of exposing the tactics of tobacco corporations around the world in false advertising, misleading people that tobacco is harmless to expand the consumer market, especially among young people. The World Health Organization called on countries to join hands in implementing the Communication Campaign in response to World No Tobacco Day on May 31, 2025 for a healthier future.

Globally, an estimated 37 million children aged 13–15 use tobacco. In many countries, e-cigarette use among adolescents has surpassed adult use.

In Vietnam, the rate of cigarette use among adult men in Vietnam is decreasing but still high (41.1% - STEPS - WHO 2021 survey). For e-cigarettes, the rate of e-cigarette use among adults (15 years and older) in 2015 was 0.2% (GATS 2015), and in 2020 it was 3.6% (PGATS 2020). The highest rate of e-cigarette use is concentrated in the age group of 15 - 24 (7.3%) followed by the age groups of 25 - 44 years old (3.2%), 45 - 64 years old (1.4%) (PGATS 2020).

Globally, the tobacco industry sells trillions of cigarettes each year. In addition to conventional cigarettes, e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and nicotine pouches are promoted by companies as “harm reduction products.” This has led many people, especially young people, to misunderstand that e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products are harmless and not addictive.

In addition to confusing product promotion, some organizations allied with tobacco corporations have names similar to those of organizations working to prevent and combat the harmful effects of tobacco, such as: "Global Action to Stop Smoking", "Fund to Eliminate Child Labor in Tobacco Farming", "Fund for a Smoke-Free World" of Philip Morris Corporation, but in fact these funds are closely linked to tobacco companies. Regarding the activities of the "Fund for a Smoke-Free World", the World Health Organization clearly stated its view that this is a fund funded by Philip Morris Corporation, which has a conflict of interest with the work of protecting public health. The World Health Organization recommends that countries and health officials do not cooperate with the "Fund for a Smoke-Free World" of Philip Morris Corporation.

The tobacco companies’ encouragement of cigarette smokers to switch to heated tobacco products to reduce harm is scientifically unfounded. Heated tobacco products contain nicotine and are just as addictive as regular cigarettes. It is not possible to reduce the harm caused by cigarettes by introducing another addictive product, while at the same time creating a new generation of addicts (including children and women). Evidence from countries shows that switching to heated tobacco products does not help cigarette smokers quit, but rather perpetuates their addiction to nicotine and exposure to many toxic chemicals when using multiple types of tobacco products at the same time.

The World Health Organization has affirmed: "There is no evidence to prove that electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products are less harmful than conventional tobacco products." Electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products contain nicotine, a highly addictive substance that is harmful to health, especially brain development in children and adolescents.

The World Health Organization calls on countries to promote the implementation of Article 5.3 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) to protect tobacco control policies from tobacco industry interference. Closely monitor and supervise tobacco industry advertising activities; strictly control and prevent tobacco industry interference in the development of tobacco control policies. Do not cooperate with or receive funding from tobacco manufacturing and trading companies in any form.

Implementing effective tobacco harm prevention policies includes:

Increase tobacco taxes to a level large enough to keep up with the increase in per capita income and aim for a tax rate of 75% of retail prices to contribute to the goal of reducing tobacco use. Implement a smoke-free environment. Enforce a comprehensive ban on tobacco and nicotine advertising on digital platforms, social networks and entertainment media; closely monitor advertising activities at retail outlets, on social platforms or directly in schools. Increase the area of ​​health warnings printed on tobacco product packaging. Integrate and strengthen smoking cessation programs into national health programs and other programs. Strictly enforce regulations prohibiting the production, trading, import, harboring, transporting and using e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products.

Propaganda message for World No Tobacco Day 31/5 and National No Tobacco Week 25 - May 31, 2025.

Message about the harmful effects of tobacco

Tobacco use causes more than 100,000 deaths each year in Vietnam.

Tobacco use causes a loss of 108 trillion VND each year, 5 times higher than the revenue from tobacco tax.

Using cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and heated tobacco products costs money and health.

Using cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and heated tobacco products damages the lungs, heart, and brain, especially in young people.

Quit smoking to set a good example for your children.

Quit smoking today for your health and your loved ones.

Smoking shisha is as harmful as using other tobacco products

Message about the harmful effects of electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products

Electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products are not products that help you quit smoking conventional cigarettes.

Electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products contain toxic chemicals such as those found in car exhaust and pesticides.

Nicotine in cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and heated tobacco products impairs children's brain development

Compliance with regulations prohibiting the use and transportation of electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products is the responsibility of all organizations and individuals.

Prohibition of use, production, trading, import and transportation of electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products (Resolution No. 173/2024/QH15 of the National Assembly)

Vietnamese youth comply with regulations banning the use of electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products

Vietnamese youth say no to cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, heated tobacco products

Message on tobacco tax increase

High tobacco tax increases help achieve national target of reducing smoking rate

High tobacco tax increases help prevent children from smoking

Tobacco taxes should be at least 75% of retail price to help reduce smoking

Source: https://backan.gov.vn/Pages/thong-diep-ngay-the-gioi-khong-thuoc-la-va-tuan-le-f6da.aspx