The World Health Organisation (WHO) has urged Vietnam to fully implementthe WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) on World NoTobacco Day on May 31.
Speaking at a conference to review the 10years of FCTC implementation in Vietnam on May 28, WHO representativeJeffery Kobza appreciated the country's strong commitment and remarkableachievements in tobacco control over the past ten years.
Kobzaestimated that implementing the tobacco control law fully and doublingthe tax on tobacco will help save 16,000 lives from premature deathseach year in Vietnam.
Kobza noted that Vietnam has been facingincreasing health and economic burden caused by tobacco use that claimsmore than 40,000 lives a year in the country.
He suggested that Vietnam should also raise tobacco taxes to reduce the country's smoking rate.
DeputyMinister of Health Nguyen Thi Xuyen said that Vietnam faceddifficulties in tobacco control because of its cheap price and a highsmoking rate among adult males.
Xuyen noted that tobacco controlwill need more efforts and collaboration from ministries, sectors,provinces, and cities across the country.
Smoking rate amongadult males reduced to 47.7 percent in 2010 compared to 56.1 percent in2001. Smoking rate among juveniles aged 13-15 years also reduced from3.3 percent in 2007 to 2.5 percent in 2014.
Apart from increasingpublic awareness of the risks of tobacco use, curbs on smoking atworkplaces, schools, and public areas have also been imposed. Around 95percent of adults believe that smoking can cause diseases.
In2012, a tobacco control law was adopted, while a tobacco harm controland prevention national strategy to 2020 was adopted in 2013. Accordingto WHO, tobacco kills nearly six million people each year, of which morethan 600,000 are non-smokers dying from breathing second-hand smoke.
InVietnam, tobacco claims more than 40,000 lives and healthcare costs andproductivity loss due to tobacco use are estimated at more than onebillion USD per year.-VNA
Speaking at a conference to review the 10years of FCTC implementation in Vietnam on May 28, WHO representativeJeffery Kobza appreciated the country's strong commitment and remarkableachievements in tobacco control over the past ten years.
Kobzaestimated that implementing the tobacco control law fully and doublingthe tax on tobacco will help save 16,000 lives from premature deathseach year in Vietnam.
Kobza noted that Vietnam has been facingincreasing health and economic burden caused by tobacco use that claimsmore than 40,000 lives a year in the country.
He suggested that Vietnam should also raise tobacco taxes to reduce the country's smoking rate.
DeputyMinister of Health Nguyen Thi Xuyen said that Vietnam faceddifficulties in tobacco control because of its cheap price and a highsmoking rate among adult males.
Xuyen noted that tobacco controlwill need more efforts and collaboration from ministries, sectors,provinces, and cities across the country.
Smoking rate amongadult males reduced to 47.7 percent in 2010 compared to 56.1 percent in2001. Smoking rate among juveniles aged 13-15 years also reduced from3.3 percent in 2007 to 2.5 percent in 2014.
Apart from increasingpublic awareness of the risks of tobacco use, curbs on smoking atworkplaces, schools, and public areas have also been imposed. Around 95percent of adults believe that smoking can cause diseases.
In2012, a tobacco control law was adopted, while a tobacco harm controland prevention national strategy to 2020 was adopted in 2013. Accordingto WHO, tobacco kills nearly six million people each year, of which morethan 600,000 are non-smokers dying from breathing second-hand smoke.
InVietnam, tobacco claims more than 40,000 lives and healthcare costs andproductivity loss due to tobacco use are estimated at more than onebillion USD per year.-VNA
