Vietnamese people drink more and more

In five years, the rate of alcohol consumption among men increased by 11% and among women by 6%, according to a survey on non-communicable disease risk factors published on September 9.

Nearly 4,000 people, aged 18-69 in 63 provinces and cities, participated in the above survey, which is the largest survey ever on non-communicable disease risk factors conducted by the Ministry of Health.As a result, about 77% of men and 11% of women drink alcohol (drinking within the past 30 days). The overall rate for both sexes is nearly 45% and hasincreasing trend. Compared with the 2010 survey results, the rate of alcohol use among men increased by 11% and among women increased by 6%.

More than 44% of men drink alcohol at a hazardous level, meaning they have consumed six or more units of alcohol in the past 30 days, which is about 180 ml of spirits or six 330 ml cans of beer. Of those who have drunk alcohol in the past 30 days, nearly half have driven within two hours of drinking.

Dr. Pham Thi Hoang Anh, Director of HealthBridge Canada in Vietnam, expressed concern about the situation of many people drinking alcohol while driving and the fact that Vietnamese youth have easy access to alcohol. Currently, Vietnam only prohibits alcohol advertising from15 degrees or more, the rest are advertised as normal goods and services so there is no restriction on target audience, content and time.

Ms. Anh believes that the Vietnamese government’s alcohol control policies are still weak. Alcohol prices in our country are still very cheap, and advertising is rampant, especially for beer.Over the past decade, while the world's alcohol consumption has remained virtually unchanged, Vietnam is one of the few countries with a rapidly increasing trend, more than four times the global average consumption.

The Ministry of Health planned to submit a draft law on alcohol control in 2017, but this plan has now been postponed.Therefore, Ms. Anh recommended that the Government should consider proposing that the National Assembly pass a law on alcohol control.

Harmful use of alcohol is a known cause of more than 200 diseases and injuries. Alcohol use is also a risk factor for cardiovascular disease due to high blood pressure, myocardial ischemia, stroke, cancer, mental disorders and other social consequences such as accidents, violence, and reduced work capacity.

The harmful effects of alcohol do not depend on the type of drink but on the amount (how many grams of alcohol are consumed) and how it is consumed (how often). Alcohol has the ability to cause toxicity to most organ systems of the body, aggravate existing physical and mental damage, and is an addictive psychotropic substance.

There is growing evidence that almost any level of alcohol consumption can be harmful, depending on the person drinking it. A person who has never drunk alcohol can lose control of his or her behavior with just one glass or half a glass. Therefore, there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade's industry report in May said that in the first four months of the year alone, Vietnam's beer production reached 1.005 billion liters, up 5.8% over the same period.A report from the Vietnam Beer, Alcohol and Beverage Association (VBA) shows that in 2015, domestic beer production and consumption output reached 3.4 billion liters, an increase of 10% over the previous year and nearly 41% over 2010.

According to VNE