Vietnam Makes Significant Breakthrough in Tobacco Control Policies

According to a report by Baomoi on December 12, the Minister of Health of Vietnam, Dao Hong Lan, emphasized during a meeting of the Anti-Tobacco Harm Foundation that Vietnam's anti-smoking policies have achieved significant breakthroughs in the international community.

Minister Tao Honglan explained that the World Health Organization (WHO) has initiated the establishment of the Tobacco Control Framework Convention, and Vietnam has become the 47th country out of 182 to early approve the convention. In order to fulfill its commitment to the convention and prevent tobacco-related diseases domestically, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam's parliament has enacted the Tobacco Harm Prevention Law.

Minister Tao Hong Lan has stated that Vietnam's Tobacco Harm Prevention Law represents a significant breakthrough in combatting the dangers of tobacco. The World Health Organization has praised the law, noting that it is comprehensive and in line with international conventions. This demonstrates Vietnam's strong commitment to protecting current and future generations from the health, economic, and environmental harm caused by tobacco use.

With support and oversight from Congress and the government, the Ministry of Health, as the main agency, closely collaborates with multiple departments, social and political organizations, and provincial and municipal people's committees to implement the "Tobacco Harm Prevention Law" and a series of measures to mitigate tobacco hazards. These measures include strengthening health warnings in communities, banning smoking in public places, and raising tobacco taxes.

However, the anti-smoking efforts are still facing many challenges. Despite a decrease in smoking rates, Vietnam remains one of the countries with high smoking rates globally, with a rate of 38.9% among males aged 15 and above. Within Vietnam, the prevalence of secondhand smoke contamination in public places such as restaurants and bars is still quite widespread.

Vietnam has one of the lowest tobacco taxes in the ASEAN region. Despite an increase in per capita income, cigarette prices remain cheap and readily available, making it easy for adolescents to access them.

In recent years, the emergence of new tobacco products such as e-cigarettes and heat-not-burn cigarettes has become a concerning issue, particularly due to the sharp increase in e-cigarette use among students. These challenges have greatly impacted anti-smoking efforts and may result in a rise in smoking rates unless we continue to take strong and timely measures," emphasized Minister Tao Honglan.

Dr. Angela Pratt, the representative of the World Health Organization in Vietnam, stated at a conference that medical data shows tobacco-related disease burden, making tobacco harm prevention and control a priority public health issue worldwide. Tobacco consumption is rapidly shifting from developed countries to developing ones, including Vietnam, which poses serious threats to the health, economy, and environment of these nations.

She suggested that effective solutions that countries are working towards prioritizing include implementing 100% smoke-free environments, increasing the size of health warning images on packaging products, and raising tobacco taxes. The World Health Organization (WHO) urges Vietnam to increase cigarette taxes and prices, and calls on the Vietnamese parliament to ban e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products. "The tobacco epidemic is one of the biggest threats faced by the global community, and Vietnam is not alone in this battle," emphasized Dr. Angela.