Priorities given to prevent, curb smoking among adolescents, women
A delegation from Bloomberg Philanthropies and organisations joining the charity fund’s initiative to mitigate tobacco use visited Vietnam from October 9-12.
The meeting between the delegation from Bloomberg Philanthropies and representatives of Health Ministry. (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – A delegation fromBloomberg Philanthropies and organisations joining the charity fund’s initiative to mitigate tobacco use visited Vietnam from October9-12.
The delegation led by Betsy Fuller, SeniorProgramme Manager of Bloomberg Philanthropies’s Public Health Programme, metwith representatives from the Ministry of Health, the Vietnam Tobacco ControlFund, the Central Committee of Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, the VietnamWomen's Union and related ministries and agencies to continue to raise theefficiency of support from international organisations to tobacco controlactivities in Vietnam.
At a meeting with the delegation on October 9,Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan called on the Bloomberg Philanthropies tocontinue to support Vietnam in implementing the goals of the National Strategy on Tobacco Harm Prevention and Control to 2030, and the law on tobacco harm prevention and control, especially the issue of increasingtobacco taxes, preventing the use of preventing the use of e-cigarettes and heated cigarettes, and continuing to help increase capacity for the Vietnam TobaccoControl Fund and workers engaging in tobacco harm prevention and control in Vietnam.
On October 10, the delegation attended a confernce of experts on tobacco harm prevention and control, during which the participants said that activities to prevent and combat tobacco harm areincreasingly promoted in provinces and cities nationwide. Communication work onthe harmful effects of tobacco and building a smoke-free environment isorganised nationwide in diverse forms.
As a result, the rate of tobacco use among menaged from 15 and above decreased from 42.3% in 2020 to 38.9% in 2022. The rateof tobacco use among students aged between 13 and 15 dropped from 2.5% in2014 to 1.9% in 2022.
At meetings with representatives from the women's union and youth union, Betsy Fuller saidVietnam has launched many effective campaigns to prevent and combat the harmfuleffects of tobacco among young people.
She said that to continue to effectivelyprevent smoking among teenagers, Vietnam's cigarette tax rate needs to beadjusted to increase according to recommendations of the World HealthOrganisation.
The delegation highly appreciated the tobaccoharm prevention and control activities implemented by the Vietnam Women's Unionand ꦡagreed to continue to provide support, especially those to curb smokingamong adolescents and women./.
The Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union (HCYU), the Health Ministry’s Fund for Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms and the Global Public Health Organisation Vital Strategies held a symposium in Hanoi on May 31 to discuss the harmful effects of e-cigarettes in schools.
Challenges remain in the prevention and control of tobacco harms as violations of the law on tobacco harm prevention and control still remains high, especially in the advertisement and promotion of tobacco products, said Deputy Minister of Health Tran Van Thuan.
The impacts of the imposition or increases of special consumption tax on several products must be studied carefully to ensure State budget revenue and the development of production and business, experts said.
The Cambodian Government has implemented a value-added tax (VAT) on cigarettes to combat the health risks associated with smoking and tobacco products.
Many experts have suggested establishing a legal framework to control new-generation tobacco products, including e-cigarettes and heated tobacco, and prohibit their use among students.
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The meeting between the delegation from Bloomberg Philanthropies and representatives of Health Ministry. (Photo: VNA) 
