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Please let me start by saying thank you to the Ministry of Health and the Viet Nam Youth Union for organizing this important meeting ahead of World No Tobacco Day, on the 31st of May, and Viet Nam National No Tobacco Week, from the 25th to the 31st of May.
This year’s global theme is “Unmasking the Appeal: Exposing Industry Tactics on Tobacco and Nicotine Products.”
The theme highlights the industry’s manipulative tactics to target young people and mask the dangers of their highly addictive products.
We have seen this in Viet Nam, especially for e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products, with flavours like watermelon, raspberry slush and lemon tart that mask the harshness of nicotine, and bright packaging that attract youth.
I will never forget the powerful moment at the National Assembly in November, when Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan held up a pink and blue e-cigarette shaped like a plastic toy.
Her point was crystal clear. Despite the industry’s claims, it is targeting children and young people with these harmful products and concealing the health risks.
Similarly, I will never forget my absolute delight at hearing that the National Assembly had voted to ban e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products. Seeing through the industry tactics, policy makers voted for health, and especially the health of young people.
These products contain toxic chemicals that have been shown to cause cancer, and heart and lung disease. In the short term, they can also cause very serious, even fatal, lung injuries. For children and young people, they can seriously impair brain development.
So, this comprehensive ban is incredibly good news.
In fact, the Secretary General of WHO, Dr Tedros, congratulated Viet Nam on this tremendous news in his welcome address at the opening of the World Health Assembly on Monday in Switzerland.
He also honoured Minister of Health Ms Dao Hong Lan with a prestigious World No Tobacco Day Award for her outstanding contribution to tobacco control.
I am delighted to see Viet Nam enjoying this well-deserved recognition.
Now, of course, we need to follow up the ban by enforcing it. And WHO stands ready to support the Government in this and other tobacco control measures.
If the ban is effective, it will cut off a deadly pipeline that introduces people – especially young people – to nicotine, to get them hooked on both new and conventional products.
Now, we need the same courageous action for other tobacco products too, in line with national and international targets, and the country’s values.
Earlier this year, General Secretary To Lam recommended focusing on preventing disease, improving health and prolonging life. And, just last month, he said the basic elements of a healthy culture include saying “no” to tobacco and other harmful substances.
Evidence from around the world shows that the most effective and cost-effective intervention to reduce smoking is using tax to increase prices.
Viet Nam is not on track to achieve its National Tobacco Control Strategy target of reducing smoking among men to below 36% by 2030. Alarmingly, there are signs that tobacco consumption has risen again.
So, WHO is strongly urging lawmakers to be ambitious in reforming tobacco tax when they are given this historic opportunity very soon.
WHO very strongly recommends bringing in a specific tax of 15,000 Vietnamese Dong per pack by 2030, on top of the current tax.
This would encourage smokers to quit and discourage young people from starting. Tobacco tax is like a vaccine against the health harms of tobacco for young people – by stopping them from starting smoking, we are helping to protect them from the risks of tobacco use for life.
The tax reform would achieve a ‘win-win’ of reducing tobacco consumption and therefore the health impacts of tobacco use, and generate revenue for key government priorities.
As General Secretary To said, “Protecting, caring for, and improving people's health is not only the task of the health sector but also the responsibility of each citizen, the entire political system and the whole society.”
WHO hopes that National Assembly members use the upcoming session to join hands with the people of Viet Nam to help create a healthier, more prosperous future.
I wish everyone a joyful, active, and of course, smoke-free, World No Tobacco Day.
Xin cảm ơn!