Vietnam among 15 countries with highest male smoking rates
VOV.VN - Vietnam ranks among the top 15 countries with the highest male smoking rates in the world, according to information discussed at a social criticism conference on the draft law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms held in Hanoi on March 9.
According to Nguyen Tuong Lam, Secretary of the Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union and President of the Vietnam Youth Federation, tobacco use continues to have major impacts on public health, particularly among young people.
Research shows that most smokers begin using tobacco during adolescence, he said.
After 13 years of implementing the Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms and related regulations, a number of positive changes have been recorded. However, the rate of male smokers in Vietnam has fallen by only about 3%. The country is among the 15 nations with the highest male smoking rates globally and ranks third in ASEAN.
At the conference, participants focused discussions on several key issues, including the scope and regulatory subjects of the draft law, especially provisions concerning new tobacco products such as e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and other products that may appear in the future.
Delegates also discussed policies on managing and controlling e-cigarettes, heated tobacco and other new tobacco products; proposals to expand smoke-free areas; regulations banning the display of tobacco products at points of sale and increasing the size of health warnings on packaging.
Other discussions also covered implementation arrangements after the law takes effect, including the responsibilities of relevant agencies and organisations, inter-agency coordination in tobacco harm prevention and control, and the role of the Youth Union in education and communication to prevent tobacco use among adolescents and young people.
Participants proposed several measures, including maintaining the ban on displaying tobacco products at retail outlets to ensure consistency with existing policies banning advertising and promotion.
They also suggested expanding regulatory control not only over cigarettes but also over e-cigarette and heated tobacco devices to prevent regulatory gaps that could allow new products to target young consumers.
In addition, stronger penalties were proposed for retail outlets violating display regulations, particularly those located near schools.
Vietnam urged to increase tobacco tax to curb smoking amid rising affordability
As average income continues to rise, tobacco products have become increasingly affordable and accessible to the community, warned Phan Thi Hai, deputy director of the Tobacco Harm Prevention Fund under the Ministry of Health.
