Two TV spots about no smoking in restaurants and cafes will be broadcast on VTV1, VTV2 and VTV3 channels of Vietnam Television from August 10. — Photo courtesy of the Tobacco Harm Prevention Fund

HÀ NỘI — The Ministry of Health’s Tobacco Harm Prevention Fund and the Global Public Health Organisation (Vital Strategies) launched a communication campaign to promote the enforcement of the ban on smoking in indoor public places on August 10.

With the theme "Speak up to protect your health and your loved ones", the campaign will broadcast two TV spots about no smoking in restaurants and cafes on VTV1, VTV2 and VTV3 channels of the Vietnam Television from August 10. The campaign is part of the Tobacco Control Fund’s 2021 communication programme with technical support from Vital Organization Strategies to promote the implementation of the Tobacco Harm Prevention Law passed by the National Assembly in 2012.

Through the broadcast of two TV spots about no smoking in restaurants and cafes, the campaign expects to widely raise awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco on smokers and those around them and call on people to strictly comply with the law on places where smoking is prohibited.

Director of the Medical Services Administration under the Ministry of Health, Director of the Tobacco Harm Prevention Fund Lương Ngọc Khuê said that building a smoke-free environment was an effective measure to implement the right of non-smokers to breathe fresh and smoke-free air.

“Việt Nam has more than 15 million adult smokers while the number of non-smokers is 75 million, five times the number of smokers. Non-smokers will not want to go to places contaminated with tobacco smoke, so I believe that smoke-free hotels and restaurants will be priority destinations for customers,” said Khuê.

“We also hope that through the communication campaign, restaurant and hotel owners will acknowledge more about the law and regulations on smoking-free places and will actively participate in building a safe and smoke-free environment, benefitting themselves and protecting their customers and people's health,” added Khuê.

Khuê said that in the future, the Tobacco Harm Prevention and Control Fund will continue to support ministries, sectors, provinces and cities to promote a smoke-free environment in the community, strengthen the implementation of regulations on smoke-free places at workplaces, educational institutions, medical facilities, train stations, public transport, and other indoor public places as prescribed by the Tobacco Harm Prevention Law.

According to WHO, around the world tobacco use causes 8 million deaths each year (7 million from direct smoking and 1.2 million from passive smoking). The global cost of smoking is $1 trillion. In Việt Nam, tobacco causes 40,000 premature deaths each year. Spending on smoking accounts for over VNĐ31 trillion per year among Vietnamese households. The cost of a number of common tobacco-related diseases has reached over VNĐ21 trillion per year, according to the Tobacco Harm Prevention Fund.— VNS