Vietnam's Efforts and Challenges in Tobacco Control Reported on December 7 by Baovanhoa

According to a report by Baovanhoa on December 7th, Tran Van Thuan, Deputy Minister of Health in Vietnam, presented the achievements and challenges faced by Vietnam since the implementation of the Tobacco Harm Prevention Law in 2012.

The minister pointed out that although the voluntary smoking rate among Vietnamese adults has decreased to some extent over the past 12 years, the reduction has been slow, with the current rate at 41.1% for male adults, still one of the highest in the world.

Earlier, the Vietnamese National Assembly passed a new regulation banning e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products, which will come into effect in 2025. The National Assembly has requested the government to accelerate the implementation of specific provisions, increase publicity efforts, and enhance public awareness of alcohol, e-cigarettes, and heated tobacco.

During the meeting, representatives discussed the current challenges and proposed a series of solutions. Former Director of Legal Affairs of the Ministry of Health, Nguyễn Huy Quang, emphasized the need for the Ministry of Health to take the lead in coordinating with the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Justice, and other departments to effectively implement the tobacco ban resolution passed by the National Assembly.

In addition, the Ministry of Health should continue to collect international experiences, study the impact of e-cigarettes on public health, and propose corresponding policy recommendations. Information technology applications will be upgraded to detect and address violations in the implementation of the smoking ban, and will be promoted nationwide. The Ministry of Health should advise the government to require relevant departments to take appropriate actions based on their responsibilities, such as strengthening market supervision and conducting comprehensive inspections.

In the education sector, the Ministry of Education needs to urge schools to assess the actual situation of students using e-cigarettes and take reasonable measures for intervention. The Ministry of Public Security will strengthen efforts to crack down on illegal trading activities and strictly investigate e-cigarette products containing drugs.