Nghe An holds rally in response to 'World No Tobacco Day and National No Tobacco Week'
On the morning of May 30th, in Vinh City, the Steering Committee for Tobacco Harm Prevention of Nghe An province organized a rally to commemorate "World No Tobacco Day 31/5/2025 and National No Tobacco Week 25-31/5/2025".
Attending the event were Comrade Le Thi Hoai Chung – Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Director of the Department of Health; representatives of leaders from departments, agencies and localities in the province; health units and a large number of youth union members from Vinh City.
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According to estimates by the World Health Organization, tobacco use in Vietnam causes more than 100,000 deaths annually. The economic damage caused by tobacco is estimated at 108 trillion VND per year (equivalent to 1.14% of GDP). This figure is more than five times greater than the contribution of tobacco tax revenue to the national budget.
In Nghe An province, over 10% of adults still smoke, with men accounting for over 21%. The rate of passive smoking at home is nearly 24.2%, and at the workplace it is 17.1%. More worryingly, the use of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products is on the rise among young people (15-24 years old), highlighting the urgent need to protect future generations from the sophisticated marketing tactics of the tobacco industry.
In 2025, the World Health Organization chose the theme "Unmasking the False Attraction." This theme serves as a strong warning about the sophisticated and misleading marketing tactics of the tobacco industry – especially with new products like e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products that are infiltrating and exploiting the curiosity and desire for self-expression of young people.
Launching the National Tobacco-Free Week from May 25-31 and in response to World No Tobacco Day on May 31, 2025, Mr. Tran Minh Tue - Deputy Head of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Steering Committee for Tobacco Harm Prevention and Control, and Deputy Director of the Nghe An Department of Health - called on all levels, sectors, and localities to continue incorporating tobacco harm prevention and control into their annual plans and internal regulations, while strengthening inspections and strictly handling violations of the Law on Tobacco Harm Prevention and Control; and to promote propaganda with a focus on exposing the truth about new tobacco products – e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products.
All levels of government, sectors, localities, organizations, and individuals must not cooperate with or accept funding from tobacco corporations, and must not allow the tobacco industry to interfere with public health policies; strengthen multi-platform communication, mobilize youth organizations, women's associations, and the education system to participate in protecting young people from the effects of tobacco; encourage each family and each official to set an example in not smoking, and build smoke-free environments in the workplace, schools, and homes.
