Smoking in public: Who to fine, who to punish?

(Baonghean.vn) -Currently there are no specific statistics on the rate of illness or death caused by tobacco, but the number of people hospitalized for treatment of tobacco-related illnesses is still increasing.

The Law on Prevention of Tobacco Harms has been in effect for more than 4 years. The Government has also issued many decrees guiding the implementation of the law, which clearly stipulate places where smoking is prohibited, administrative penalties for violations... However, in public places, smoking is still rampant.

According to the World Health Organization: Vietnam is one of the 15 countries with the highest rate of smokers in the world, with 56.1% in men and 1.8% in women; each year about 40 thousand people die from tobacco.

In Nghe An, there are currently no specific statistics on the rate of smokers and people suffering from diseases or dying from tobacco, but according to statistics from the Tuberculosis and Lung Disease Hospital, the number of people hospitalized for treatment of tobacco-related diseases is still increasing.

Cigarette smoke appears in the treatment area of ​​Nghe An General Hospital. Photo: Thanh Cuong.

Doctor Dau Minh Quang - Director of Nghe An Tuberculosis and Lung Disease Hospital said: Cigarette smoke contains up to 4,000 chemicals, of which 43 are carcinogenic. Passive smokers are 21 times more at risk than direct smokers. Using tobacco can easily cause a series of dangerous diseases.

To prevent the harmful effects of tobacco, Vietnam has issued the Law on Prevention of Tobacco Harm, which took effect on May 1, 2013. The law stipulates many levels of penalties for violators.

But for many reasons, the effectiveness of the Law has not been as expected: The rate of smokers is still high, and although people know very well about the harmful effects of tobacco, they still do not give it up.

In Nghe An, smoking in public places is still very common. Many people smoke freely in prohibited areas, even in hospitals - a special environment where health is most affected.

At Nghe An General Hospital, there are many signs prohibiting smoking and pictures warning of the harmful effects of smoking on health posted in the premises and corridors of examination and treatment areas, as well as reminders from doctors and nurses, but there are still many patients' relatives who do not strictly comply with the no smoking in the hospital.

Cigarette smoke not only directly affects the smoker but also the person who inhales the smoke. Photo: Thanh Cuong

Even at Nghe An Oncology Hospital, the rate of lung cancer patients accounts for 60% of all types of cancer, the number of patients and their relatives "taking advantage" of the opportunity to go out to the gate, in deserted places to smoke is still very high.

At Nghe An Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital - the most sensitive place to cigarette smoke, smoking is not allowed, but it is not difficult to see many parents taking their children to the clinic, taking the opportunity to "take a few puffs", "carelessly" blowing smoke at the roots of trees and flower beds in the campus.

On March 27, 2017, implementing the plan to monitor and evaluate activities and prevent the harmful effects of tobacco, the provincial working group led by Deputy Director of the Department of Health Dau Huy Hoan - Deputy Standing Committee of the Provincial Steering Committee for Tobacco Harm Prevention inspected 9 medical facilities from the provincial to district levels. Through the inspection, it was discovered that in some hospitals there were still cigarette butts scattered under flower beds, tree roots...

The Provincial Tobacco Harm Prevention Steering Committee inspects the Nghe An Tuberculosis and Lung Disease Hospital. Photo: Thanh Cuong.

Some hospital leaders said: the work of handling smokers in hospitals is currently only at the level of reminders and warnings, and up to now, no violators in the hospital have been punished.

Hospitals do not have sanctions or authority to punish violators, and even if there is a penalty procedure, it is very complicated when violators have to be invited to the ward so that the ward police and local authorities can come to the hospital to handle the matter.

Not only hospitals, but also other public places (places that serve the needs of many people) such as parks, parking lots, bus stations... smoking still exists and happens frequently.

Thanh Cuong