Participants ride bikes to advocate for a non-smoking life (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – The enforcement of the law on tobacco harm reductionshould be promoted in ministries, branches and local authorities to reducedangers from smoking and lower the death rate caused by smoking, said Ministerof Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien.
She made the call at a meeting organised in Hanoi on May 28 to respond to theWorld No Tobacco Day (May 31) and launch the national non-smoking week.
Inspections must be intensified and any violation of the law will be punishedstrictly, she said.
Theprevention of tobacco dangers in the country has gained significant results inthe past years, the minister highlighted, citing statistics that smoking amongVietnamese youths dropped to 2.5 percent from 3.3 percent in 2007 and the rate ofsecond-hand smokers among students fell by 18.8 percent. The smoking rate amongmen in urban areas also decreased by 6.6 percent.
However, easy purchase of tobaccos in public places has posed tremendouschallenges to smoking detoxification, she added.
According to Lokky Wai, the World Health Organisation Representative (WHO) toVietnam, special consumption tax levied on tobacco makes up only 40 percent ofthe retail prices in Vietnam, a very low proportion compared to WHO’srecommendation of 75 percent.
Lokky Wai called on the Government and partners to make concerted efforts toensure a healthy and sustainable environment for Vietnam by increasing tobaccotax.
He said this will help reduce smoking while scaling up state tax collection.
After the meeting, nearly 2,000 Hanoi students rode bicycles on streets andparticipated in a flash-mob event to advocate for a non-smoking life.-VNA
According to Lokky Wai, the World Health Organisation Representative (WHO) toVietnam, special consumption tax levied on tobacco makes up only 40 percent ofthe retail prices in Vietnam, a very low proportion compared to WHO’srecommendation of 75 percent.
Lokky Wai called on the Government and partners to make concerted efforts toensure a healthy and sustainable environment for Vietnam by increasing tobaccotax.
He said this will help reduce smoking while scaling up state tax collection.
After the meeting, nearly 2,000 Hanoi students rode bicycles on streets andparticipated in a flash-mob event to advocate for a non-smoking life.-VNA
VNA
