Last month, Viet Nam News asked its readers whether they think Viet Nam’s target to have at least 80 per cent of the city’s public places to be smoke-free by 2010 is feasible or not.
How should regulations on smoking be enforced? If you are a smoker, how do you propose that the regulations be written?
Here are some opinions we received:
Dr Jean-Marc Olive, WHO Representative in Viet Nam:
Tobacco smoke is much more than just a nuisance. It can kill.
Worse – tobacco smoke kills INNOCENT people. Second-hand smokers absorb hundreds of toxic chemicals just like smokers do.
The biggest impact of second-hand smoke is on our children. Those exposed have high rates of bronchitis, pneumonia, ear infections and more severe asthma attacks.
Long-term exposure can cause cancer and heart disease in adults.
Tragically, Viet Nam is one of the worst offenders for second-hand smoke!
More than half the men in this country smoke. Statistics show that most smokers freely do so at work (65 per cent) and many children are exposed at home.
Prime Ministerial Directive No 12 CT-TTg/2007 regulates that indoor workplaces, public places and public transport must be smoke-free. Sadly, enforcement of this regulation has been difficult and limited.
So how can a smoke-free environment be achieved in Viet Nam?
I strongly believe the Government already has the answers. Viet Nam has been very successful in enforcing the new compulsory helmet regulation and countless lives have been saved after one year.
The very same strategies used to enforce the helmet regulation can be applied to enforce a smoking ban.
There also needs to be strong legislation backed by a mass media education campaign, and more importantly, strong enforcement by police and hefty fines to those who violate the law are needed.
Non-smokers can also play an important role by requesting smokers to stop or to go outside.
Enforcing a ban on smoking in indoor public and work places is good for health, and good for the environment.
Emma Chou, Chinese, HCM City:
To answer your first question, I don’t think it’s feasible for Viet Nam to reach its targets to reduce public smoking. Take a look around. There’s always someone smoking next to me when I wait for a bus or queue up in the bank. It troubles me a lot.
I think smokers should be educated about their right to smoke in designated smoking areas and their responsibility not to harm other people’s health. Punishments for violating smoking regulations must be publicised widely and the police should be involved, too.
Patrick Moran, British, HCM City:
I started smoking 68 years ago in London during the war. Obviously the first one was horrible but I persevered because I didn’t actually know anyone who was a non-smoker. The rare ones that I met were very boring people. Most film heroes were virtual chain smokers. Many years later James Bond had his cigarettes specially made. I owned companies during two very nasty recessions. The reason I didn’t have a nervous breakdown or ulcers or a heart attack was smoking.
It is a terrible mistake to start. If Viet Nam is serious, ban advertising, ban sponsorship of sporting events, ban heroes from smoking on film, quadruple the price of cigarettes with tax and continue the bad publicity.
Chuck Searcy, Viet Nam Veterans Memorial Fund’s country representative:
Tobacco is a drug, as addictive as cocaine or heroin, and more widely available. Though smoking in public places is now banned in many cities, provinces and countries of the world, it is still legal in Viet Nam. Smoking is a national addiction, and the health and social consequences and the medical costs are huge.
In addition to the harmful effects on each person who lights up, for those who are unlucky enough to be nearby, second-hand smoke produces at least 250 chemicals that are known to be toxic or to cause cancer. This is especially dangerous for children.
Just stop in any cafe’ in Ha Noi for a pleasant cup of coffee and a chat with friends. Within minutes a table nearby is occupied by one or more people who order their drinks, reach for a pack of cigarettes, and with practised habit they pull out cigarettes and light up in a cloud of smoke that encircles everyone seated nearby.
Viet Nam has one of the highest smoking rates in the world. More than half of all men smoke, and now a few young women who think they appear chic and sophisticated are starting to smoke in public.
The difficulty in Viet Nam is that there is little escape from public smoking. Only a few cafes and restaurants now have non-smoking sections – and those few are a welcome trend. I was at a cafe last week and more customers were in the non-smoking section than in the smoking area. Eventually even more restaurant space may have to be reserved for non-smokers only.
On top of everything else, smoking is simply rude and smoking cigarettes around non-smokers is a serious social offence.
Larry Tan, Singaporean, HCM City:
I think a smoking ban is a good thing. I am a smoker myself but sometimes when I dine out with my kids and we are near smokers I find myself disagreeing with smoking in public.
I think smokers should have respect for children and non-smokers. Smoking outside is fine. I smoke outside so my house maintains clean fresh air. I think public smoking should be banned, but I also think that smokers shouldn’t be cut down. There should simply be a designated area for them to go to. It should be a clean, well ventilated room where a cigarette can be enjoyed, but I have noticed that this is not very common here in Viet Nam. More smoking areas should be installed for