Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien presents the Government's propsal on the draft law on prevention of alcohol harm. (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – The draft law on prevention of alcohol harm waspresented to the National Assembly along with a verification report on November9 at the ongoing sixth session of 14th NA.
The draft Law has seven chapters with 38 articles stipulating measures toprevent and reduce the negative impacts of alcohol and beer on Vietnamesepopulation’s health as well as other business and production activities. Also,it lays down specific regulations on the traditional alcohol production.
According to the Government’s proposal on the draft law presented by Ministerof Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien, alcohol consumption in the country has reachedan alarming level. The World Health Organisation estimated that the averageVietnamese person over 15 years old consumed 8.3 litres of pure alcoholequivalent in 2016.
In 2015, as much as 44.2 percent of men drank alcohol at a hazardous level, almostdoubling the figure recorded in 2010. Heavy drinkers are more common in ethnicresidents and those living in mountainous and rural areas, she added.
Negative influence of alcohol has posed a formidable challenge for the countryto realise the sustainable development goals by 2030 it has committed, she said.Besides the harm on health, alcohol and beer are among three major causes oftraffic accidents among men aging 15-49. In addition, nearly 30 percent of casesof social disturbance have close connection with alcohol and beer while 70percent criminal violations among people under 30 are related to alcohol use.
Presenting the assessment on the draft law, Chairwoman of the NA’s SocialAffairs Committee Nguyen Thuy Anh said that most of the committee’s members agreedwith the name of the law. The committee asked the Government to conduct moredetailed evaluation on the consistency between the draft law and related onesas well as its compatibility with Vietnam’s commitments to the World TradeOrganisation and other international treaties.
In addition, the committee required the Government to complete a reportevaluating the impacts of policies and administrative procedures that arise fromthe draft law.
Also in the morning session, NA deputies discussed some contents that receivedmixed opinions on the cultivation law.-VNA
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