Tax solutions proposed to control tobacco use in Vietnam
(VOVWORLD) - The harmful effects of tobacco and the role of tax policy in tobacco control were high on the agenda of a workshop in Hanoi on Tuesday hosted by the Ministry of Information and Communications and Healthbridge Canada in Vietnam.
 Measures to minimize the harmful effects of tobacco are discussed at the workshop in Hanoi on August 13, 2024. |
Tobacco use remains a leading cause of illness and premature death, with Vietnam ranking among the top 15 countries in the world for smoking rates. The number of deaths in Vietnam as the result of tobacco-related diseases has doubled from over 40,000 in 2006 to 80,000.
During the workshop, experts emphasized that tax and price measures are cost-effective ways to reduce tobacco use and recommended that Vietnam should increase the special consumption tax on tobacco starting in 2026.
Economist Dao The Son said that to achieve the set target and ensure health for the people, Vietnam should impose an absolute tax rate of 20 US cents per pack starting from 2026, and 60 US cents by 2030, aligning with World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations.
Dr. Angela Pratt, WHO Representative in Vietnam, acknowledged the country’s progress in tobacco control over the past decade. She stressed the importance of stronger actions to achieve the National Strategy on Tobacco Control’s goal of reducing the smoking rate among men to below 36% by 2030.