Resolution No. 12/2000/NQ-CP on the "National Policy on Preventing and Controlling the Harmful Effects of Tobacco" for the period 2000-2010

RESOLUTION OF THE GOVERNMENT

Regarding the "National Policy on Tobacco Harm Prevention and Control"

for the period of 2000 - 2010

Tobacco is the cause of many dangerous diseases for humans such as lung cancer, myocardial infarction, arteriosclerosis, and respiratory system diseases. According to survey data from 1997, in Vietnam, the rate of male smokers was 50%, female smokers was 3.4%; it is estimated that about 10% of the current population (approximately over 7 million people) will die prematurely due to tobacco-related diseases, among which 3.7 million people will die at middle age. According to the World Health Organization's forecast, by 2020, the number of deaths caused by tobacco will exceed the total number of deaths from HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and road traffic accidents.

In addition to the harmful effects on health, smoking also causes significant economic losses to individual families and society as a whole. AT In Vietnam, it is estimated that the contribution of the tobacco industry to the state budget only accounts for one-third of the amount (about VND 60 trillion) spent by the people on smoking.

Therefore, the Government promulgates the "National Policy on Tobacco Harm Prevention and Control" for the period of 2000 - 2010.

I. Objectives:

1. General Objective:

Reduce demand for use, towards controlling and reducing the supply of tobacco products, aiming to reduce the incidence and mortality rates from tobacco-related diseases.

2. Specific Objectives:

a) Reduce the rate of male smoking from 50% to 20%.

b) Reduce the rate of female smoking below 2%.

c) Reduce the rate of smoking among young adults (aged 15-24) from 26% to 7%.

d) Ensure the rights of non-smokers to live in smoke-free environments.

đ) Reduce the losses caused by tobacco to each person, each family, and the entire society.

II. Contents:

1. Policies aimed at reducing the use of tobacco products:

a) Health education (information, education, and communication):

Develop a strategy on information, education, and communication to reduce the demand for tobacco products.

Ensure the provision of necessary and accurate information to the entire population about the health hazards of tobacco, its economic impact, legal regulations, and social norms.

Promote information, education, and communication activities, build civilized lifestyles, and cultural families in the community, especially among young and adolescent age groups through educational activities in schools.

Guide healthcare workers to disseminate essential information about the health hazards of smoking and the impact of secondhand smoke on human health, as well as methods to quit smoking to patients and their families.

b) Strict management of tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship:

Prohibit tobacco advertising in all forms, including the use of product names, trademarks, and symbols of tobacco products with unrelated products and services.

Severely prohibit marketing activities, including the use of flight attendants to promote sales and print advertisements on transportation means.

Enforce laws on Commerce, which stipulate the prohibition of promoting tobacco and similar marketing methods to children under 16 years old.

Prohibit domestic organizations from accepting sponsorship to organize cultural, artistic, and sports activities linked to tobacco advertising.

c) Regulations on health warnings about tobacco:

Health warnings about the dangers of tobacco must be clearly printed and easily visible on all packaging of tobacco products. The content of the warning should be impactful, concise; progress towards printing the concentration of harmful substances (especially nicotine and tar) on all packaging of tobacco products.

d) Taxes and prices on tobacco:

Tobacco is a harmful product not encouraged for consumption, therefore, tax policies for tobacco products always need to be set at high levels.

The State has measures to regulate tobacco prices, prevent dumping of tobacco.

đ) Support for quitting smoking:

Encourage, organize, and support measures to quit smoking and research appropriate quitting methods for Vietnam's conditions.

Strengthen training and instruction for healthcare workers on suitable quitting methods for all target groups.

Have measures to enhance the role of individuals, families, communities, and society in encouraging smoking cessation.

e) Regulations on smoke-free areas:

No smoking in meetings, government offices, healthcare facilities, schools, kindergartens, cinemas, theaters, public transport, and places where large crowds gather. There should be regulations on designated smoking areas.

Encourage and mobilize the people not to smoke during festivals, family celebrations, weddings, funerals...

2. Policies aimed at reducing the supply of tobacco products:

a) Strict management of tobacco production:

The State has a monopoly on tobacco production. Only state-owned enterprises and joint ventures with foreign countries that have been granted licenses and meet the required conditions can produce tobacco. Enterprises are not allowed to expand or invest in new projects beyond the current capacity for cigarette production.

Stop new cooperation, production, processing, or joint venture projects with foreign countries producing cigarettes, without increasing foreign cigarette brands.

Ensure tobacco quality standards according to Vietnamese standards. Gradually reduce the nicotine and tar concentrations in domestically produced cigarettes to match those in developed countries.

Strictly control the printing of labels, marks, and packaging of tobacco to prevent counterfeit and imitation tobacco production.

Ensure that tobacco industry workers work in an environment meeting hygiene standards.

b) Management of cigarette trade:

Tobacco is a restricted commodity as per Decree No. 11/1999/NĐ-CP dated March 3, 1999 of the Government: The State controls the circulation and consumption of tobacco on the market, gradually taking a monopoly in wholesale, and strictly managing retail sales of tobacco products.

Prohibit selling tobacco to persons under 18 years old.

Strengthen measures to prevent and strictly handle the production and consumption of counterfeit and trademark-infringing tobacco products.

c) Prohibit the importation of tobacco:

Continue to implement Directive No. 278/CT dated August 3, 1990 of the Council of Ministers (now the Government) on prohibiting the importation and circulation of foreign-made cigarette products in the domestic market.

d) Combat smuggling of tobacco products:

Enhance inspection, supervision, and strict handling of violations.

Mobilize the entire population to voluntarily participate in combating smuggling, transportation, trading, and consumption of smuggled tobacco. Encourage material incentives to motivate the anti-smuggling movement and the trading of smuggled tobacco.

Strengthen economic measures to create stable income-generating jobs for border residents to encourage them not to participate in smuggling tobacco.

3. Expand international cooperation in preventing and combating the harmful effects of tobacco:

Promote the exchange of experience with countries around the world, particularly those in the region, in developing and implementing policies and strategies aimed at reducing demand and supply levels of tobacco products.

Seek technical, financial, and professional support from bilateral and multilateral donors and non-governmental organizations for national policies to prevent and combat the harmful effects of tobacco.

4. Organize the implementation of national policies to prevent and combat the harmful effects of tobacco for the period 2001-2010:

Develop a program to prevent and combat the harmful effects of tobacco to organize the implementation of national policies to prevent and combat the harmful effects of tobacco.

All levels of government have the responsibility to guide and supervise the implementation of national policies on preventing and combating the harmful effects of tobacco.

Ministries, Within 10 working days from the date of receipt of the dossier as mentioned in Sub-clause b, Clause 1, Article 3 above, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will review and submit to the competent authority for decision (Issues exceeding the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' jurisdiction will be referred to the Prime Minister for consideration and decision).and People's Committees at all levels cooperate with the Vietnam Fatherland Front and political-social organizations to mobilize the people, especially young people, not to smoke and encourage smokers to reduce and quit smoking.

Prepare and work towards drafting the Law on Preventing and Combating the Harmful Effects of Tobacco.

5. Implement the Program to Prevent and Combat the Harmful Effects of Tobacco:

The Minister of Health is the Director of the Program to Prevent and Combat the Harmful Effects of Tobacco.

The permanent office of the Program is located at the Ministry of Health.

Leaders of the following ministries and sectors participate in the Steering Committee of the Program: Ministry of Trade, Ministry of Culture and Information, Ministry of Industry, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ministry of Education and Training, Ministry of Planning and Investment, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment, and Within 10 working days from the date of receipt of the dossier as mentioned in Sub-clause b, Clause 1, Article 3 above, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will review and submit to the competent authority for decision (Issues exceeding the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' jurisdiction will be referred to the Prime Minister for consideration and decision).and the Vietnam Children's Protection and Care Committee. Request the Vietnam Fatherland Front, Vietnam General Confederation of Labor, Vietnam Farmers' Association, Vietnam Women's Union, Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, Vietnam Veterans' Association to nominate representatives to join the Steering Committee of the Program.

The Steering Committee of the Program develops and organizes the implementation of the plan to prevent and combat the harmful effects of tobacco for the period 2001-2010.

6. The Government requests ministries, ministerial-level agencies, and agencies under the Government, People's Committees at all levels to effectively implement national policies on preventing and combating the harmful effects of tobacco for the period 2000-2010.

Suggest that the Vietnam Fatherland Front and political-social organizations coordinate with the health sector and relevant state agencies to mobilize the people nationwide to actively participate in activities to prevent and combat the harmful effects of tobacco, protect public health, improve the quality of life of the people, and promote the country's socio-economic development process. /