In recent years, Nha Trang Railway Station has made great effort in boosting anti-smoking propaganda among its staff as well as passengers, helping to cut down the number of smokers, and especially make passengers more aware of keeping waiting rooms and carriages smoke-free...
In recent years, Nha Trang Railway Station has made great effort in boosting anti-smoking propaganda among its staff as well as passengers, helping to cut down the number of smokers, and especially make passengers more aware of keeping waiting rooms and carriages smoke-free.
"I used to see a lot of passengers smoking around the railway station with cigarette butts discarded on the floor. Things have changed now, especially in waiting rooms," says Tran Van Anh, a motorcycle taxi driver. “On the trip from Ho Chi Minh City back to Nha Trang City, I want to smoke but I dare not because it’s not allowed to smoke onboard. I think I will try to quit smoking to protect myself, my family and people around,” adds a passenger named Hoang Cuong.
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Apart from “no-smoking” signs installed in easily-seen places at the railway station, warnings have been given by railway staff to prevent smokers from lighting up in the public place. Le Quang Chinh, Chairman of the Trade Union, Vice-Director of Nha Trang Railway Transport Branch says Nha Trang Railway has 129 staff, including 50 males, 50% of whom smoke. Smoking cessation is a difficult and complex process. Keeping the railway station smoke-fee is a regular and tough task, so Nha Trang Railway has focused on anti-smoking propaganda among its staff, raising their responsibilities and thus having positively influence on passengers.
Every year, the railway station develops specific anti-smoking propaganda and the implementation of the Law on Tobacco Control among its staff. The station leader also requires the staff not to smoke in offices, in waiting rooms, on trains or in other public places; simultaneously, timely reward staff who quit smoking; include anti-smoking regulations in the Trade Union’s emulation policies.
Tobacco control and prevention activities at Nha Trang Railway Station have gained some satisfactory results thanks to the anti-smoking propaganda together with support and compliment on quitting smoking. Now, most of the railway staff do not smoke in the workplace. Only 20% of male staff are smokers, down 10% compared with 2017.
Besides, the guard and staff are required to remind passengers that smoking is not permitted in waiting rooms. Therefore, the number of passengers smoking at the railway station or on trains has considerably decreased. Some passengers even remind others of the smoking ban.
However, more comprehensive smoke-free legislation is required. In order to promote the Tobacco Control Law’s role in fighting against tobacco use, the railway station will continue raising the awareness of tobacco harm and benefits of smoke-free living; coordinating with press agencies to intensify propaganda on the mass media and via station loudspeakers; encouraging staff to quit smoking and promptly commend Trade Union teams for fulfilling the anti-smoking campaign, assigning security guards and other staff to remind passengers to follow smoking ban in the waiting rooms, etc.
Khanh Ha
Translated by N.T
