Current Tobacco Use:

Adults

46%
Men
3%
Women
Source

Youth

7%
Boys
1%
Girls
Source
Population:

95.5 million

Adult Tobacco Smokers:

15.6 million

Annual Deaths Due to Tobacco:

134,300

Source
M

Monitor tobacco use and prevention policies

Data are necessary to implement and evaluate effective tobacco control policies. The Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) is a global standard for systematically monitoring adult tobacco use (smoking and smokeless) and tracking key tobacco control indicators.

In Viet Nam, the Ministry of Health in collaboration with Hanoi Medical University and General Statistics Office of Viet Nam conducted GATS Round 1 in 2010 and GATS Round 2 in 2015.

Adult tobacco smoking remained about the same

GATS Viet Nam 2010 and 2015

Note: All comparisons presented in this graph are not significant at p<.05; Difference may be explained by chance and may not reflect a true difference.

Source
Adults in urban areas who smoked tobacco decreased significantly from 23.3% in 2010 to 20.6% in 2015.
P

Protect people from tobacco smoke

There is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke. The sole intervention that can fully protect people from the health dangers of secondhand is creating environments that are completely smoke-free without any exceptions.

Campaign to Protect People From Secondhand Smoke

Viet Nam implemented numerous campaigns to educate on the harms of secondhand tobacco smoke.

In 2018, a joint social media campaign called “Respect” (#HãyTônTrọng in Vietnamese), was led by the World Health Organization Viet Nam, in collaboration with several key partners and encouraged the public’s participation in calling for respect for the law banning smoking in indoor public and workplaces and respect for the health of people who could be exposed to secondhand smoke. #Respect Campaign

Partnerships to Strengthen Enforcement of Smoke-Free Environments

The Ministry of Health, represented by the Tobacco Control Fund, and the Ministry of Police, with support from the World Health Organization held a workshop to train police officers as well as hotel and restaurant managers to build capacity for implementing smoke-free environments for healthy living.

Dr. Kidong Park, WHO Representative, at the Law enforcement Workshop in Hai Phong, on 18 October 2018.
Source
Adults exposed to secondhand smoke in in the workplace decreased significantly from 55.9% in 2010 to 42.6% in 2015.
Source
O

Offer help to quit tobacco use

When informed of the risks, most tobacco users want to quit, but few get help and support to overcome their dependence. There are several evidence-based supports that can increase the chance to quit successfully.

Smoking Cessation Programs

In May 2013, Viet Nam’s Tobacco Control Fund (TCF) was established as part of the Viet Nam Tobacco Control Law. The TCF provides financial resources for various tobacco prevention and control programs including smoking cessation programs.

Adult smokers who were asked about smoking status by a health care provider and received advice to quit increased significantly

GATS Viet Nam 2010 and 2015

*Comparisons are significant at p<.05; Difference is larger than can be reasonably explained by chance and therefore reflects a true difference.

Source
29%
Adults who ever smoked tobacco and quit

-GATS Viet Nam 2015

W

Warn about the dangers of tobacco

Effective health warning labels provide health messages directly to tobacco users, which raises awareness of their health risks and increase the likelihood that they will reduce tobacco use or quit altogether.

Health Warning Labels on Tobacco Packaging

Viet Nam introduced pictorial health warning labels on tobacco packaging in 2013. As part of the Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms that came into effect on 1 May 2013, 50 percent of the surface of tobacco packaging must be covered with pictorial and text health warnings on the front and back of packaging. The size of warnings is set to increase in coming years. Misleading terms are prohibited, with the exception of certain terms that were registered as intellectual property prior to the Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms.

Before Regulation
Collection date: Jun 2013
After Regulation
Collection date: Oct 2015
Source
Adults who believed smoking causes stroke, heart attack, and lung cancer increased significantly from 55.5% in 2010 to 61.2% in 2015.
Source
E

Enforce bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship

Tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship (TAPS) increase tobacco use. Comprehensive TAPS bans have shown to reduce tobacco consumption.

Viet Nam Prohibits TAPS

As a part of the Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms that came into effect on 1 May 2013, Viet Nam prohibited tobacco advertising and promotion, with the exception of point of sale displays of tobacco products. Displays for tobacco products are restricted to one pack, carton, or box of each cigarette brand. There are limited restrictions on tobacco sponsorship and the publicity of such sponsorship.

Source
Adults aged 15-24 years who noticed cigarette advertisement and promotions significantly declined from 25.3% in 2010 to 19.8% in 2015.
Source
Facing the challenge of financial resources and learning from other countries with tobacco control fund [TCF] development models such as Thailand, Australia,... VINACOSH [Viet Nam Steering Committee on Smoking and Health] decided that TCF establishment is one of the primary goals and strategies for tobacco control work in the future.
- Dr Phan Thi Hai, Vice-Director, Viet Nam Steering Committee on Smoking and Health (VINACOSH), Ministry of Health, Viet Nam
Source
R

Raise taxes on tobacco

The most effective way to reduce tobacco use and encourage tobacco users to quit is to raise taxes to increase the price of tobacco products.

Viet Nam Tobacco Control Fund

As part of the Viet Nam Tobacco Control Law, passed on 18 June 2012, the Tobacco Control Fund (TCF) was established. The fund helps to secure a source of funding through a tax to accelerate the implementation of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC).

In Viet Nam, taxes are collected as a percentage of the factory price (ad valorem tax). ​

Source
A revision to the excise tax law increased excise tax on tobacco products from 65% in 2014 to 70% in 2016 and set an additional increase to 75% in 2019.
Source

View the full GATS Viet Nam reports: