Illustrative image (Source: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam is among the countries having the highest rates of smokers, heard a conference in Hanoi on September 6 to announce the results of a survey on tobacco use of adults in Vietnam.
According to the 2015 survey, the rate of tobacco users reduced from 23.8 percent in 2010 to 22.5 percent.
The proportion of male smokers fell from 47.4 percent to 45.3 percent. In urban areas, the figure decreased to 42.7 percent from 47.7 percent.
The rates of passive smoking at workplace and in public transportation means also declined, from 55.9 percent and 34.3 percent in 2010 to 42.6 percent and 19.4 percent last year, respectively.
In the time to come, to boost the implementation of the Law of Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms, the Fund for Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms will intensify the ban of smoking in public areas as well as inspections over the implementation of the ban at medical facilities and administrative offices.
It will also propose the Government and the National Assembly speed up the assessment of the impact of increases of tobacco taxes on tobacco consumption in order to have a road map to continue raising the taxes to reduce the rate of smoking.
The World Health Organisation reported that around 40,000 people in Vietnam die from smoking-related diseases each year. Meanwhile, a survey at the Cancer Hospital (K Hospital) in Hanoi showed 96.8 percent of lung cancer patients smoke.
Passive smokers, particularly children, also face high risks of diseases.-VNA
