Some 40,000 deaths related to tobacco use each year

Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan speaks at the event (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – There are at least 40,000 deaths caused by tobacco-related
diseases in Vietnam each year, heard a conference held by the Health Ministry in
Hanoi on December 12 to review 10-year enforcement of the Law on Prevention and
Control of Tobacco Harm.

Speaking at the event, , who is
also Chairwoman of the ,
said Vietnam
is the 47th out of 182 countries to ratify the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on
Tobacco Control. To validate the commitments upon joining the Convention, the Vietnamese
National Assembly issued the .

She admitted that though the smoking rate has decreased, Vietnam
remains among countries with a high prevalence of tobacco use, with
38.9% of men aged over 15 being smokers. Exposure to tobacco smoke is still quite
common in restaurants, bars, and crowded areas.

WHO
Representative in Vietnam Angela Pratt congratulated
Vietnam on reducing the rate of tobacco use among adolescents by half, which she said is an encouraging result.
 
She suggested that Vietnam should increase tobacco taxes and
prices. At the same time, the Vietnamese National Assembly (NA) should ban
electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products.

On the occasion, the ministry proposed that
the Government and the NA continue to pay attention to and soon issue a resolution
prohibiting electronic cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and other new
tobacco products to reduce the tobacco use rate./.