HÀ NỘI — Operating vehicles under the influence of alcohol will be officially banned from Wednesday as part of the Law on Prevention and Control of Alcoholic Beverages’ Harmful Effects.

The existing regulations stipulate that drivers are allowed to drink alcohol before setting off in their vehicles providing they are under the limit.

The law is among six that are coming into force from the beginning of next year, with the Law on Enforcement of Criminal Judgments, Law on Public Investment, Law on Management and Use of Weapons, Explosives and Combat Gears, Law on Crop Production and Law on Animal Husbandry.

The Law on Enforcement of Criminal Judgments include two new groups of prisoners that should be held separately.

They are LGBT convicts and prisoners raising children under three years old.

The other six groups held separately are women, under-18s, foreigners, people with infectious diseases and people suffering from mental illnesses.

The new Law on Public Investment regulates that three forms of projects will be exempt from investment policy requirements.

They include projects to promptly prevent, control and mitigate the consequences of disaster and diseases; ensure national defense, security and foreign affairs; and national target programmes.

The Law on Management and Use of Weapons, Explosives and Combat Gear provides additional definitions of “military weapons” and “weapons with properties and uses similar to those of hunting weapons, cold weapons and sports weapons”.

A ban on beating or maltreating livestock is part of the new Law on Animal Husbandry.

The law stipulates the humane treatment of livestock with adequate feed and water. Besides, every slaughterhouse must ensure livestock feel no pain or fear, and are not slaughtered in front of their fellow creatures.

The Law on Crop Production stipulates that organisations and individuals trading plant varieties must set up a legitimate business location and ensure that the origin of plants can be traced. — VNS