(CT) - On May 29, the Ministry of Health held a workshop to implement Circular No. 11/2023/TT-BYT dated May 11, 2023 of the Ministry of Health regulating the implementation of the smoking ban and the awarding of the Smoke-Free Environment Award. The conference connected from Hanoi to many other locations across the country. In Can Tho, representatives of the Department of Health and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) of Can Tho City attended the workshop.
No smoking sign at Can Tho City Maternity Hospital.
At the workshop, Deputy Minister of Health Tran Van Thuan informed: Tobacco use is the cause of more than 8 million deaths worldwide each year. Of which, more than 7 million people die from direct tobacco use and about 1.2 million die from passive smoking. Every day, approximately 21,000 people die and on average every 4 seconds, 1 person dies from tobacco-related diseases in the world.
In addition to health effects, tobacco use also causes economic losses to individuals, families and society. These losses include expenditures on smoking, costs of medical examination and treatment of smoking-related diseases, loss of/loss of working capacity due to illness and premature death. Smoking rates tend to increase in developing countries.
According to Deputy Minister Tran Van Thuan, the rate of tobacco use among young people aged 15-24 decreased from 26% (in 2015) to 13% (in 2020). Among students aged 13-15, the smoking rate also decreased from 2.5% in 2014 to 1.9% in 2022. These are very encouraging results in the propaganda to prevent smoking among young people, ensuring the sustainable success of the tobacco harm prevention program. However, Vietnam is still among the countries with the highest number of smokers in the world.
According to the 2015 Global Adult Tobacco Survey, Vietnam is one of the 15 countries with the highest number of smokers in the world. In the ASEAN region, Vietnam is the third country with the highest number of smokers, after Indonesia and the Philippines. In recent years, electronic cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and shisha have appeared. These products are not currently allowed to be imported, traded, or circulated in the domestic market, however, buying, selling, and advertising are taking place widely, especially on the Internet.
“These products are designed in a variety of styles and flavors that are very attractive to young people, leading to the rapid increase in the use of electronic cigarettes in our country, especially among students. If we do not continue to implement strong measures to prevent and combat the harmful effects of tobacco and promptly stop new tobacco products in Vietnam, the rate of tobacco use will increase again,” Mr. Tran Van Thuan emphasized.
At the workshop, the Ministry of Health deployed Circular No. 11/2023/TT-BYT dated May 11, 2023 regulating the implementation of the smoking ban and the awarding of the Smoke-Free Environment Award. The Circular takes effect from August 1, 2023. Representatives of international organizations and the Ministry of Health also presented reports on: experiences in implementing smoke-free environments in the world; the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) and WHO recommendations on implementing regulations on smoke-free environments and health warnings; implementing regulations on smoking-free places and providing guidance on the implementation of the awarding of the Smoke-Free Environment Award.
News and photos: H.HOA
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