Khanh Hoa Province has held many activities to prevent tobacco use...
Khanh Hoa Province has held many activities to prevent tobacco use since 2012 thanks to the support from Vietnam Public Health Association. A meeting has just been held in Nha Trang City with the participation of nearly 300 representatives in response to the World No Tobacco Day (May 31) and the National Smokefree Week (May 23-31). Most of the representatives gave their assent to an increase in special consumption tax on tobacco.
Truong Tan Minh, Chairman of Khanh Hoa Public Health Association says, “Special consumption tax is being supplemented and modified. Increased taxation on tobacco is expected to be an effective way to reduce tobacco use, saving hundreds of life.” “The special consumption tax increase on tobacco will surely help to prevent teenagers from smoking which causes premature death risks,” adds Nguyen Huu Bao, a Trade Union member from Nha Trang University.
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| Parade in response to the National Smokefree Week 2014 in Nha Trang City. |
More than 40,000 people/ year in Vietnam die of tobacco-related diseases, according to a World Health Organization report. The figure may rise to 70,000/ year by 2030 if timely preventative measures are not taken. According to the national strategy on tobacco control approved by the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Health has suggested an increase in the special consumption tax on tobacco from 65% at present to 105% by 2015 and then 85% by 2018. The taxes will be adjusted again in 2020.
Together with Hue City, Khanh Hoa has taken the lead in tobacco control tasks. Khanh Hoa Steering Board of Tobacco Control in association with the Executive Board of the project on strengthening enforcement of smoke-free policies in Vietnam, Khanh Hoa public health network, Nha Trang City People’s Committee and relevant departments have implemented many tobacco control activities, focusing on building smoke-free Nha Trang City.
Anti-smoking posters have been placed on main streets leading to Nha Trang City with 85 big boards and 3,000 small ones at local People’s Committees’ offices, hospitals, clinics, coach stations, sport halls, etc. In addition, hundreds of leaflets have been handed out together with propaganda activities joined by over 2,500 inhabitants.
Lam Quang Chung, Deputy Director of Khanh Hoa Department of Health says, satisfactory results have been achieved during 2 years of building smoke-free Nha Trang City. 100% of wards, companies, schools and regional general clinics have founded steering boards of tobacco control with non-smoking signs set up in public places.
In addition, the Tobacco Control Law has been publicized to civil servants in an effort to prevent people, particularly children and teenagers, from starting to use tobacco and reduce harmful effects caused by tobacco use. According to a report at the beginning of the year 2014 by Vietnam Public Health Association, the tobacco exposure rate of passive smokers in Khanh Hoa decreased from 57% in 2010 to 47.7% in 2013 with changes in smoking behaviors in workplaces.
In the time to come, a tobacco control program in Khanh Hoa will target at the completion of smoke-free Nha Trang City model which will then be extended to the whole province; a law project on the implementation of some articles stated in the Law on Special Consumption Tax, contributing to bringing the Tobacco Control Law into life.
N.T
