WORDS ON THE STREET 70th anniversary of Hanoi's Liberation Day Vietnam - Asia 2023 Smart City Summit Hanoi celebrates 15 years of administrative boundary adjustment 12th Vietnam-France decentrialized cooperation conference 31st Sea Games - Vietnam 2021 Covid-19 Pandemic
May 30, 2016 / 17:01

Promoting the role of woman in creating smoke-free homes

The Vietnam Women’s Union (VWU) and the Ministry of Health jointly held a ceremony in Hanoi on May 29 to launch the programme "Woman with the creating smoke-free homes" to mark World No Tobacco Day (May 31) and the 2015 National Week of No Tobacco (May 25 - 31, 2016).

Attending the ceremony were Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh, Vice Chairman of Hanoi People's Committee Ngo Van Quy, representatives from the Health Ministry, associations, local youths and nearly 900 members of the Vietnam Women’s Union.
 
Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh attends the ceremony.
Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh attends the ceremony.
The programme aims to promote the role of women in creating a smoke-free house. 
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Vietnam is still among 15 countries with the highest male smoking rate, at 47.4%. The total number of smokers in the country is 15.3 million, while 33 million non-smokers are regularly exposed to tobacco smoke at home and 5 million adults suffer from passive smoking in the workplace.

 
Vice Chairman of Hanoi People's Committee Ngo Van Quy responds the launching ceremony.
Vice Chairman of Hanoi People's Committee Ngo Van Quy responds the launching ceremony.
The WHO reported that around 40,000 people in Vietnam die from smoking-related diseases each year. Passive smokers, particularly children, also face high risks of diseases.
According to recent survey in 2015, the rates of passive smoking both at home and workplaces in Vietnam reduced from 73.1% and 55.9% in 2010 to 59.9% and 42.6% last year, respectively.
The campaign aimes to promote women’s role in helping family members quit smoking. 
The programme also called on men and the community to create a smoke-free home, contributing to reduce the proportion of women and children who are victims of passive smoking, thereby reducing the risk of illness and deaths due to passive smoking.
Addressing the ceremony, Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh appreciated the initiative of creating "smoke-free home" launched by the Vietnam Women’s Union to prevent the production, distribution and use of tobacco.
Vice President Thinh urged authorities at all levels to organise effective activities, especially publicity work, to reduce tobacco harm to society. 
The Vice President hoped that all Vietnam Women’s Unions nationwide will respond the programme to help women raising awareness and knowledge on passive smoking, the effects of passive smoking on the health of women and children.
 Besides, the programme sent the message towards the good life values, creating a comfortable, fresh and healthy living environment from each home, the Vice President noted.
Initiated by the WHO in 1987, World No Tobacco Day has been celebrated annually to inform the public on the dangers of smoking and the tobacco business. 
This year, WHO is calling on countries to get ready for plain packaging of tobacco products, meaning the restricted use of logos, colours, brand images or promotional information on packaging. 
In response to the initiative, Vietnam has launched a national tobacco-free week that is running from May 25 to 31.