Key Takeaways
- Cambodian Health Minister Cheang Ra called for a 2027–2031 tobacco control strategy aimed at reducing tobacco use by 30% by 2030.
- The directive was issued during a Tobacco Product Control Committee meeting in Phnom Penh.
- Priority areas include reducing tobacco use, protecting the public from secondhand smoke, tackling illegal and counterfeit tobacco products, and preventing the spread of e-cigarettes.
- Ra said tobacco control cannot be handled by the Ministry of Health alone and requires multi-sectoral cooperation.
- Cambodia’s Ministry of Health said about 1.6 million Cambodians still use tobacco.
2Firsts, April 29，2026
According to Khmer Times , Cambodian Health Minister Cheang Ra has called for the development of a tobacco control strategy for 2027–2031 with the goal of reducing tobacco use by 30% by 2030.
The meeting in Phnom Penh reviewed progress and priorities
The directive was issued during a meeting of the Tobacco Product Control Committee in Phnom Penh on Monday.
The meeting was held to review progress, strengthen multi-sectoral cooperation, and set priorities.
The new strategy will focus on tobacco use, secondhand smoke, illicit products and e-cigarettes
According to the report, focus areas include reducing tobacco use, protecting the public from secondhand smoke, tackling illegal and counterfeit tobacco products, and preventing the spread of e-cigarettes. The report said e-cigarettes pose risks to youth and public health.
The minister said tobacco control is the responsibility of all sectors
Ra said tobacco control is the responsibility of all sectors and society as a whole, and that all parties must work together to protect children, youth, and citizens from the dangers of tobacco and e-cigarettes and to build a smoke-free, healthy and safe future for Cambodia.
The minister said tobacco control also aims to prevent non-communicable diseases
Ra added that stronger tobacco control efforts are essential to protecting lives and said government measures aim not only to reduce smoking rates, but also to protect the population, especially children, youth, and women, from non-communicable diseases such as cancer and strokes.
The minister said the Ministry of Health cannot act alone
Ra said effective action requires multi-sectoral cooperation and that the Ministry of Health cannot act on its own. He said ministries, institutions, local authorities, schools, communities and the broader public must all contribute.
The minister called for broader public education, especially for students and youth
He called for expanded education and awareness campaigns, particularly targeting students and young people, who are increasingly vulnerable to new tobacco products and e-cigarettes.
The minister urged stricter enforcement of existing laws
Ra called for stricter enforcement of laws, including the tobacco advertising ban, mandatory health warnings on cigarette packaging, smoking prohibitions in public places, and stronger crackdowns on illegal and counterfeit tobacco products.
An expert welcomed the move but said enforcement remains weak
Ra said the 2027–2031 strategy must be grounded in evidence and must aim to reduce tobacco use by 30% by 2030.
Nuth Sambath, a health science expert at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, welcomed the move and described it as a positive step toward reducing tobacco use, which harms both smokers and people exposed to secondhand smoke.
Sambath added that although laws banning smoking in public places exist, enforcement remains weak, with many people, especially youth, continuing to smoke openly. He called for stricter enforcement and said people under 18 should not be allowed to smoke.
The expert suggested designated smoking areas and stronger respect for the law
He suggested designating smoking areas to prevent widespread public smoking and urged stronger respect for the law.
Sambath said the rules on smokers in public places have not been strictly enforced even though the law provides for it, and welcomed the government’s effort to reduce tobacco use by 30% by 2030.
The ministry said Cambodia has made progress but still has 1.6 million tobacco users
According to the Ministry of Health, Cambodia has made significant progress under the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and MPOWER measures, including mandatory health warnings on tobacco packaging, smoking bans in work and public spaces, and advertising restrictions.
However, about 1.6 million Cambodians still use tobacco, underscoring the need for sustained, coordinated and effective action.
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Image source: Khmer Times
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