National Strategy on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms approved
VGP - Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha has recently signed a decision to approve the National Strategy on Prevention and Control of Tobacco’s Harmful Effects by 2030.
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In the 2023-2025 period, Viet Nam aims to reduce the rates of smoking among males aged from 15 and above to less than 39 percent and females aged from 15 to less than 1.4 percent.
The strategy also targets to reduce the rate of passive smoking at work to less than 30 percent, at restaurants to less than 75 percent, at bars and cafes to below 80 percent, and at hotels to below 60 percent.
The figures are hoped to further decline to below 25 percent, 65 percent, 70 percent and 50percent, respectively, in the 2026-2030 period.
The strategy also aims to prevent the use of e-cigarette products, heated tobacco, shisha and other new tobacco products in the community.
In the 2026-2030 period, passive exposure rates will be further cut at working places, restaurants, bars and coffee shops and hotels by under 25 percent, 65 percent, 70 percent and 50 percent.
To fulfill the aforesaid goals, the strategy sets out seven tasks and solutions including (1) perfecting mechanisms, policies and laws on tobacco harm prevention and control; (2) strengthening the leadership of Party committees and authorities at all levels and interdisciplinary coordination related to this issue; (3) stepping up education and dissemination; (4) strengthening investigatio
Specifically, a roadmap to increase taxes on tobacco products to ensure that by 2030 the tax rate will be built in line with the proportion of the retail price as recommended by the World Health Organization.
The strategy also proposes the promulgation of regulations on the prevention of e-cigarette products, heated tobacco, shisha and other new tobacco products in the community; and the sale of tobacco for juveniles or juveniles’ selling tobacco under the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
Viet Nam among world's top 15 countries with most adult male smokers
Viet Nam has recorded encouraging results in tobacco harm prevention and control. The male smoking rate has dropped to 42.3 percent from 45.3 percent in 2015.
However, the Southeast Asian nation is among the 15 countries with the largest number of adult male smokers in the world mainly due to easy access to cigarettes triggered by the low tobacco tax and emergence of various types of e-cigarettes, according to a health official.
The reduction in the rate of smokers in the country had not yet reached the target set out in the Strategy on Prevention and Control of Tobacco’s Harmful Effects, Luong Ngoc Khue, head of the Health Ministry's Department of Medical Service Administration, said at a workshop held on May 23.
Compared to 2015, the rate of tobacco use among Vietnamese men decreased from 45.3 percent to 42.3 percent./.
