The rate of passive smoking in restaurants and cafes is still high.

According to Dr. Ha Anh Duc - Director of the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment Management, Director of the Fund for Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms ( Ministry of Health ), the implementation of a smoke-free environment has been actively organized and implemented by agencies, units, schools and localities. At meetings and seminars, smoking is almost non-existent. Many restaurants, hotels and tourist accommodation establishments have strictly implemented the regulations prohibiting smoking, hanging and placing signs, and arranging areas reserved for smokers in accordance with the provisions of the Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms.

Hundreds of service establishments have posted no-smoking signs, arranged separate areas, and staff know how to gently but firmly remind customers; and most valuable, the habit of respecting common spaces has begun to spread. The image of clean and civilized restaurants and hotels is not just a commitment on paper, but has become a source of pride recognized by domestic and foreign tourists.

image001.jpg -0 — No smoking sign at a restaurant in Hue city.

However, in practice, the implementation of tobacco harm prevention and control, especially compliance with regulations on smoking bans in hotels, restaurants, and tourist accommodation establishments, still faces many difficulties and challenges. The results of the 2024 tobacco use survey showed that the rate of passive smoking in restaurants is still high at 67.3%; in coffee shops it is 59.2%.

Dr. Ha Anh Duc said that the campaign to implement smoke-free restaurants and hotels is meaningful in raising awareness of law compliance. The Law on Prevention of Tobacco Harms stipulates that hotels and restaurants are places where smoking is prohibited. In recent years, many activities to build smoke-free hotels and restaurants have been implemented by provinces and cities, and the rate of passive smoking in hotels and restaurants has decreased significantly (in restaurants, it has decreased from 84% in 2010 to 67% in 2024).

“However, through monitoring, we found that restaurants and hotels are still the places with the highest rate of smokers compared to other public places where smoking is prohibited. Therefore, the construction of a smoke-free environment here still needs to be continued. This shows that maintaining and expanding smoke-free spaces is extremely necessary to reduce exposure to secondhand smoke and protect public health,” said the Director of the Tobacco Harm Prevention Fund.

To make restaurants and hotels smoke-free, according to Dr. Ha Anh Duc, it is necessary to develop and disseminate guidelines for building smoke-free hotels and restaurants for provinces and cities. Support provinces and cities to organize training sessions for hotel and restaurant managers and staff on the harmful effects of smoking and passive smoking, and skills to remind customers not to smoke in restaurants. Support and coordinate with functional forces to inspect and handle establishments that allow violations to occur. Communicate and promote restaurants and hotels that implement a smoke-free environment well.

Restaurants and hotels must have no smoking signs, which must be hung/placed in visible, easy-to-observe places with lots of people passing by. There is no buying, selling, advertising, promoting, or marketing of tobacco in hotels and restaurants. Staff regularly remind customers not to smoke. Do not accept sponsorship or support from tobacco manufacturing and trading companies. Do not allow smoking in non-smoking areas in restaurants and hotels.

Dr. Ha Anh Duc said that in the coming time, the Tobacco Harm Prevention Fund will continue to support restaurants and hotels in promoting communication through new forms, such as organizing campaigns and initiatives in building a smoke-free environment; spreading initiatives, models, and good practices on social networks to replicate the model.

Strengthen the involvement of authorities in monitoring, inspecting, supervising, and handling violations and smoking behaviors in hotels and restaurants.

Promote the implementation of smoking bans in hotels and restaurants by enhancing the responsibility of managers and heads of smoking-free locations.

Source: https://cand.com.vn/Xa-hoi/ty-le-hut-thuoc-la-thu-dong-o-nha-hang-quan-ca-phe-con-cao-i778410/