Ministers calls for strict enforcement of tobacco harm reduction law

Participants ride bikes to advocate for a non-smoking life (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – The of the law on
should be promoted in ministries, branches and local authorities to reduce
dangers from smoking and lower the death rate caused by smoking, said Minister
of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien.

She made the call at a meeting organised in Hanoi on May 28 to respond to the
World No Tobacco Day (May 31) and launch the national non-smoking week.

Inspections must be intensified and any violation of the will be punished
strictly, she said.

The
prevention of tobacco dangers in the country has gained significant results in
the past years, the minister highlighted, citing statistics that smoking among
Vietnamese youths dropped to 2.5 percent from 3.3 percent in 2007 and the rate of
second-hand smokers among students fell by 18.8 percent. The smoking rate among
men in urban areas also decreased by 6.6 percent.

According to Lokky Wai, the World Health Organisation Representative (WHO) to
Vietnam, special consumption tax levied on tobacco makes up only 40 percent of
the retail prices in Vietnam, a very low proportion compared to WHO’s
recommendation of 75 percent.

Lokky Wai called on the Government and partners to make concerted efforts to
ensure a healthy and sustainable environment for Vietnam by increasing tobacco
tax.

He said this will help reduce smoking while scaling up state tax collection.

After the , nearly 2,000 Hanoi students rode bicycles on streets and
participated in a flash-mob event to advocate for a non-smoking life.-VNA