The initiative aims to reinforce enforcement of the Law on tobacco harm prevention and control, and encourage businesses in the tourism and hospitality sectors to establish smoke-free venues.
According to Mr. Ha Anh Duc, Director General of the Department of Medical Services Administration under the Ministry of Health, Vietnam has made significant progress in tobacco control in recent years.
However, exposure to secondhand smoke remains alarmingly high.
Surveys show that 67.3 percent of people are exposed to passive smoking in restaurants and 59.2 percent in coffee shops. Therefore, health authorities urged continued action to build smoke-free environments across hotels, restaurants and public spaces.
Health officials also called on hotels and restaurants to comply with regulations and take the lead in creating smoke-free environments, treating them as a standard of service quality.
