Some 40,000 deaths related to tobacco use each year
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, Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan, who is also Chairwoman of the Tobacco Harm Prevention and Control Fund, noted that 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 Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harm.
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.
