The reduction in the rate of smokers in the country had not yet reached the target set out in the Strategy on Prevention and Control of Tobacco’s Harmful Effects, the Department of Medical Service Administration under the Health Ministry said.
Mentioning the low reduction rate of smokers, the department said the main reason was that Vietnam’s tobacco tax was very low.
In addition, new and diversified e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products appeared on the market, making it easy for many people, especially young people, to access cigarettes easily.
In Vietnam, in 2020, spending on tobacco was 2.08 billion USD. The total cost of treatment and costs due to inability to work due to illness and premature deaths for 5 out of 25 groups of diseases caused by tobacco was over one billion USD.
Worldwide, smoking leads to 8 million deaths a year, including one million deaths due to passive smoking./.
