Hanoi (VNA) - Quitting smoking would help create a healthy environment foreach individual, family and society, said Deputy Health Minister Nguyen TruongSon at a meeting held in Hanoi on May 29 to respond to World No TobaccoDay (May 31) and National No Tobacco Week (May 25-31).

He added that it is a messagethe ministry wanted to send to every smoker in the country.

This year, the World HealthOrganisation’s World No Tobacco Day campaign focuses on protecting children andyoung people from exploitation by the tobacco industry.

Speaking at the meeting, Sonurged all ministries, sectors and localities nationwide to strengthen theirimplementation of the Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms.

Since the tobacco law came intoeffect in May 2013, the smoking rate among men decreased by about 2.1 percentand women by 0.3 percent.

Through the event, theministry’s Tobacco Harms Prevention and Control Fund wants to warn thecommunity about the health consequences of tobacco use and the importanceof protecting children and young people from tobacco.

According to the WHO, more than40 million young people aged 13-15 have already started to use tobacco in theworld.

Countries can protect childrenfrom industry exploitation by putting in place strict tobacco control laws,including regulating products like e-cigarettes that have already begun to hooka new generation of young people, the WHO said.

Luong Ngoc Khue, head of theHealth Ministry's Department of Medical Examination and Treatment saidcurrently, the numbers of students and youngsters using e-cigarettes isincreasing in Vietnam.

Advertising campaigns fore-cigarettes are aimed at students and youngsters by showing the products'cool designs, convenience and new flavours that make young people overlookthe risks the products could pose to their health, Khue said.
New tobacco products also havemany components harmful to human health, which are difficult to control, hesaid.

The ministry plans to proposethe National Assembly consider putting e-cigarettes and heated tobaccoproducts on the list of goods banned from trading and consumption.

It is estimated Vietnamhas about 13 million smokers and is one of the top 15 countries for smokingworldwide. Every year, about 40,000 people die from smoking in Vietnam./.