Public smoking ban starts

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung signed a decision to ban smoking in indoor public places, starting on January 1, 2010.

The ban was approved after Ministry of Health statistics revealed that more than 56 percent of men in Vietnam were active smokers, nearly half between 17 and 24 years old. The report also showed that about 60 percent of 13-15 year-old children were passive smokers.

The ban will prohibit smoking in classrooms, preschools, health centres, libraries, cinemas, theatres, factories, office buildings and on public transportation.

Smoking will still be permitted in sports centres, stadiums, exhibition centres, lounges, entertainment centres, restaurants, hotels and discotheques in designated smoking areas.

Violators will be warned and can be fined between VND50,000 (US$2.7) and VND100,000 ($5.4). Inspectors from concerned agencies will be assigned to enforce the decision.

Under the plan, higher taxes will be imposed on making cigarettes more expensive from now to 2010. Only authorized retail outlets would be allowed to sell the products after 2010.

Vietnam will continue to ban tobacco sales to people under 18 as well as sales via the Internet, telephone and automatic vending machines.

Another regulation required tobacco producers and cigarette importers to inform the Ministry of Health of the tar and nicotine contents in their cigarettes. If the contents exceeded the regulated limit, the companies would receive fines ranging from 20-30 million VND (1,000-1,570 USD) per year for each violation.

(Source: VNS)