According to the report of the Provincial Center for Disease Control, the work of preventing and combating the harmful effects of tobacco has been implemented throughout the province. However, smoking in the workplace and public places is still relatively common; some agencies and units have not strictly enforced the provisions of the Law on Prevention and Combating the Harmful Effects of Tobacco, which has limited the effectiveness of the work of preventing and combating the harmful effects of tobacco.
The administrative penalty imposed on the Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Coc Leu Ward, Lao Cai City for smoking in a prohibited area, is considered by the authorities to be the first administrative penalty decision in the province regarding the implementation of the provisions of the Law on Prevention of Tobacco Harms. A leader of the People's Committee of Coc Leu Ward said that the ward only took action after receiving feedback from the people about the behavior of Mr. Dinh Trung Kien, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of the ward.
Mr. Tran Trung Kien, a consultant on tobacco harm prevention and control at the Lao Cai Provincial Center for Disease Control, said that many officials, civil servants, and people are now aware of the health, economic, and environmental consequences caused by tobacco. However, due to habits, combined with the lack of drastic measures to handle cases of smoking in prohibited areas, smoking still occurs in workplaces and public places.
In Lao Cai, activities to prevent and combat the harmful effects of tobacco have been implemented in many forms. In particular, the Center for Disease Control has advised the Department of Health to advise the Provincial People's Committee to propagate the contents of preventing and combating the harmful effects of tobacco on the mass media (publishing 45 reports and articles in newspapers; 189 radio broadcasts, 178 television broadcasts...). The province organized 6 rallies and parades in response to World No Tobacco Day (May 31 every year) and National No Tobacco Week (May 25 - 31 every year) in districts, towns and cities.
In addition, the province has organized 356 live communication sessions at schools, factories, enterprises, villages, residential groups, and markets on tobacco harm prevention and control for 45,417 listeners... In particular, it has organized interdisciplinary supervision at 376 agencies and units across the province; developed communication materials for community propaganda (panels, banners, posters, leaflets, video clips) on tobacco harm prevention and control...
According to a survey by the Center for Disease Control in Lao Cai, the rate of understanding the Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms is 77.3% of respondents. Of which, the rate of men aware of the Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms is 79.2%, higher than that of women (75.4%). 23.2% of adults in general (both men and women) are smoking. More than 97% of smokers believe that the harmful effects of tobacco cause dangerous diseases; 83% believe that it causes stroke; more than 70% believe that smoking is the cause of heart attacks; nearly 98% believe that smoking leads to lung cancer and more than 66% believe that smoking will cause stroke, heart attack and lung cancer.
The survey results of the Center for Disease Control in Lao Cai province show that smokers are not really interested in quitting smoking. About 6.2% of smokers answered that they are interested in quitting smoking after one month; 11.3% will consider quitting smoking in the next 12 months; the number of people who are not interested in quitting smoking is up to 43.9%...
Mr. Tran Trung Kien, a staff member on tobacco harm prevention and control, Lao Cai Provincial Center for Disease Control, added that tobacco harm prevention and control in Lao Cai has been implemented through specific activities, with a profound impact on the community, but still faces many difficulties. The reason is due to the habits of a number of officials, civil servants and people; some agencies and units have not strictly enforced the provisions of the Law on Tobacco Harm Prevention and Control, leading to the recurrence of smoking in the workplace...
In addition, cigarettes are now widely available, making it easy for people to access and buy them, making it difficult to quit smoking; inspection and handling by authorities still face many difficulties and obstacles, making the enforcement of the Law ineffective and failing to create a strong deterrent in the community.
In the coming time, the Lao Cai Provincial Center for Disease Control will advise the Department of Health to advise the province to continue to direct departments, branches, agencies, and schools to: promote propaganda and dissemination of the harmful effects of tobacco, regulations of the Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms; strictly implement regulations prohibiting smoking in workplaces, public places, and places with no-smoking signs; incorporate the content of prevention and control of tobacco harms into annual work plans and emulation and reward work; strengthen inspection, examination, and strict handling of violations of regulations; strictly prohibit the purchase, sale, advertising, and marketing of products and images related to tobacco at agencies, units, schools, and medical facilities; coordinate with local authorities to strictly implement regulations on tobacco trading...
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