National Strategy on Tobacco Harm Prevention and Control to 2030
(Baonghean.vn) - Tobacco use is responsible for more than 8 million deaths worldwide each year; increases the risk of respiratory infections and the severity of respiratory diseases; and is the leading cause of non-communicable diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease.
Faced with the dangers of tobacco, on May 24, 2023, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha signed Decision No. 568/QD-TTg promulgating the National Strategy on Tobacco Harm Prevention and Control to 2030, setting appropriate goals for each implementation stage and developing strong and synchronous solutions to effectively implement tobacco harm prevention and control. Thereby, strongly affirming the commitment of the Vietnamese Government to strengthen tobacco harm prevention and control as well as orienting tasks and plans for this work in the coming time.
The specific targets for the 2023-2025 period are: Reducing the rate of tobacco use among men aged 15 and over to below 39%; among women aged 15 and over to below 1.4%. Reducing the rate of passive exposure to tobacco smoke at work to below 30%; at restaurants to below 75%; at bars and cafes to below 80%; at hotels to below 60%.
Prevent the use of e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, shisha and other new tobacco products in the community. In the period 2026-2030, reduce the rate of passive exposure to tobacco smoke in the workplace to below 25%; in restaurants to below 65%; in bars and cafes to below 70%, in hotels to below 50%...
The strategy sets out the following tasks and solutions: Perfecting the policy and legal mechanisms on tobacco harm prevention and control; strengthening the leadership of Party committees and authorities at all levels and inter-sectoral coordination on tobacco harm prevention and control; strengthening and innovating information, education and communication activities on tobacco harm prevention and control; strengthening inspection, examination and handling of violations on tobacco harm prevention and control; promoting scientific research, perfecting the monitoring system on tobacco harm prevention and control...
Develop a roadmap to increase taxes on tobacco products to ensure that by 2030 the tax rate reaches the proportion of retail prices recommended by the World Health Organization; prescribe minimum selling prices for tobacco products, research and evaluate the effectiveness of the plan to calculate taxes on tobacco products based on retail prices to achieve the goal of reducing tobacco use rates.
Restrict and strictly control the sale of tobacco products at duty-free shops; propose to issue regulations on preventing e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, shisha and other new tobacco products in the community; the sale of tobacco to minors or minors selling tobacco according to the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
Develop information and communication programs and plans on tobacco harm prevention and control suitable for each stage; regularly organize communication activities on tobacco harm prevention and control in diverse forms, suitable for the characteristics of each region, area, and target group; increase the use of information technology and social networks in communication on tobacco harm prevention and control.
Strengthen the Steering Committee for the Tobacco Harm Prevention Program at the central level and in provinces and cities; develop and promulgate regulations on functions, tasks, and coordination mechanisms between ministries, branches, agencies, and organizations from the central to local levels to ensure effective implementation of tobacco harm prevention work./.
