The Ministry of Health organised a meeting in Ho Chi Minh City on May30 in response to World No Tobacco Day (May 31) and the 2015 NationalNo Tobacco Week (from May 25-31), calling for strong actions againsttobacco use harms.
Deputy Minister of Health NguyenThi Xuyen said activities to create smoke-free environment are beingstrongly promoted in Vietnam, especially at educational establishments,hospitals, and workplaces, noting that 40 out of the 63 provinces andcities have set up steering boards for tobacco use harm prevention andcontrol.
Smoking rate among juveniles aged 13-15years declined to 2.5 percent in 2014 from 3.3 percent in 2007, showingVietnam’s strong commitment to the WHO Framework Convention on TobaccoControl (FCTC), she added.
WHO Deputy ChiefRepresentative to Vietnam Gabit Ismailov said despite considerablestrides made in tobacco prevention, Vietnam is still facing numerouschallenges such as the violation of tobacco use ban at public placeslike restaurants or coffee shops.
He warned thatVietnam would fail to achieve the smoking reduction target set in itsnational tobacco prevention and control strategy if the tax oncigarettes was kept as low as the current level.
Hecalled upon Vietnam to fully implement FCTC clauses, including those onprotection from second-hand smoking, warning against tobacco use harms,and raising tax on cigarettes, which can help save 16,000 deaths fromdiseases caused by tobacco in the country every year.
Vietnam is currently one of the 15 countries with the highest smokernumbers. Smoking rate among the country’s adult males is as high as 47.7percent.
Data show that more than 75 percent ofdeaths in Vietnam ever year are caused by non-communicable diseases, anumber of which are attributed to tobacco use. Tobacco causes about40,000 premature deaths, and healthcare costs and productivity loss dueto tobacco use are estimated at more than 1 billion USD per year.
At the meeting, Deputy Minister Xuyen appealed to agencies,organisations and people nationwide to create smoke-free environment andstrictly adhere to the law on tobacco harm prevention and control.
Following the event, some 1,000 people walked and cycled to popularise the message on preventing the harm of tobacco use.-VNA
Deputy Minister of Health NguyenThi Xuyen said activities to create smoke-free environment are beingstrongly promoted in Vietnam, especially at educational establishments,hospitals, and workplaces, noting that 40 out of the 63 provinces andcities have set up steering boards for tobacco use harm prevention andcontrol.
Smoking rate among juveniles aged 13-15years declined to 2.5 percent in 2014 from 3.3 percent in 2007, showingVietnam’s strong commitment to the WHO Framework Convention on TobaccoControl (FCTC), she added.
WHO Deputy ChiefRepresentative to Vietnam Gabit Ismailov said despite considerablestrides made in tobacco prevention, Vietnam is still facing numerouschallenges such as the violation of tobacco use ban at public placeslike restaurants or coffee shops.
He warned thatVietnam would fail to achieve the smoking reduction target set in itsnational tobacco prevention and control strategy if the tax oncigarettes was kept as low as the current level.
Hecalled upon Vietnam to fully implement FCTC clauses, including those onprotection from second-hand smoking, warning against tobacco use harms,and raising tax on cigarettes, which can help save 16,000 deaths fromdiseases caused by tobacco in the country every year.
Vietnam is currently one of the 15 countries with the highest smokernumbers. Smoking rate among the country’s adult males is as high as 47.7percent.
Data show that more than 75 percent ofdeaths in Vietnam ever year are caused by non-communicable diseases, anumber of which are attributed to tobacco use. Tobacco causes about40,000 premature deaths, and healthcare costs and productivity loss dueto tobacco use are estimated at more than 1 billion USD per year.
At the meeting, Deputy Minister Xuyen appealed to agencies,organisations and people nationwide to create smoke-free environment andstrictly adhere to the law on tobacco harm prevention and control.
Following the event, some 1,000 people walked and cycled to popularise the message on preventing the harm of tobacco use.-VNA
