Vietnam requires stronger policies to build a smoke-free environment whilst it ramps up communication work in order to raise public awareness of the damage caused by tobacco.
Vu Dang Minh of the Interior Ministry speaks at the event.
The statement was made by Vu Dang Minh, an official of the Interior Ministry during a meeting held in Hanoi on May 31 in response to World No Tobacco Day and Vietnam No Tobacco Week from May 25 to May 31.
He stressed the necessity of enhancing communications on the harmful effects of using tobacco products and laws relating to tobacco prevention and control, especially the responsibility of leaders of organisations and smokers, as well as punitive measures on smokers in public places.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recently announced that following the COVID-19 pandemic the globe is facing potential outbreaks of non-communicable diseases such as blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, and strokes.
Non-communicable diseases made up between 70% and 75% of all deaths nationwide, and tobacco use is one of the major causes, said Luong Ngoc Khue, head of the Health Ministry's Department of Medical Examination, at the meeting.
Khue also requested efforts to promote activities which can raise public awareness of the harmful effects of tobacco on the health be ramped up moving forward.