Draft law on alcohol harms prevention to be considered in 2018
The Ministry of Health (MoH) is finalising a draft law on alcohol-related harms prevention and control and plans to submit it to the National Assembly for consideration in May 2018.
A traffic policeman checks the blood alcohol concentration of a driver (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) ꩵ– The Ministry of Health (MoH) is finalising a draft law on alcohol-related harms prevention and control and plans to submit it to the National Assembly for consideration in May 2018.
The draft law will feature policies and regulations based on the results of studies on alcohol consumption in Vietnam, Nguyen Huy Quang, Director of the MoH’s Legal Affairs Department, said at a workshop co-held by the ministry and the World Health Organisation (WHO) in Hanoi on September 26.
Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long said Vietnam now ranks second in Southeast Asia, 10th in Asia and 29th in the world in terms of the alcohol consumption rate.
More than 77 percent of adult males and 11 percent of women said they had drunk alcohol in the past 30 days. Nearly half of men had engaged in heavy episodic drinking. Meanwhile, the older people are, the more alcohol they consume, according to Tran Quoc Bao – an official from the Department of Preventive Medicine.
About 45 percent of the surveyed people said they used to drive a vehicle within two hours after drinking. A national survey on Vietnam’s male adolescents also shows that 20.8 percent of the respondents drove after drinking and sustained injuries that led to a leave of at least one week from school or work.
Bao said alcohol directly results in at least 30 diseases and is the indirect cause of 200 other diseases. It is also one of the top 10 causes of deaths in Vietnam, according to the WHO.
Deputy Minister Long said many regulations are thought to be new, but in fact they have already been enforced in other countries for a long time and proved effective, such as the ban on alcohol sales after 10 pm or for underage youth, and the ban on alcohol advertising at public places.
If such regulations are not enforced drastically, alcohol consumption in Vietnam will grow at an even faster pace, he stressed.-VNA
As many as 10,000 cases violating alcohol concentration regulations while driving were handled nationwide in August this year, mostly in Hanoi, Da Nang, Can Tho and Ho Chi Minh City.
The Ministry of Health and the World Health Organisation on September 12 held a conference to discuss the relation between non-communicable diseases (NCD) and sustainable development of Vietnam.
Health experts raised more concerns over the negative health impacts of alcohol after seeing an increased drinking rate among the Vietnamese population and an increased volume of alcohol consumed here
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At their talks and meetings, President Cuong and Angola’s top leaders affirmed that the close brotherhood and traditional friendship are a valuable shared asset and a solid foundation for the two nations to advance into a new phase of development.
The ruling People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) attaches great importance to the friendship, solidarity, and comradeship with the Communist Party of Vietnam, and voiced her Party’s wish to further deepen and expand relations between the two sides for the benefit of the Vietnamese and Angolan people.
Vietnam pledges to do its utmost to build an ASEAN of solidarity, consensus, and unity in diversity, and to foster a fast and sustainable development path for ASEAN, grounded in science, technology, and innovation, said Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
Party General Secretary To Lam called on the criminal police force to accelerate the application of science, technology, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation in criminal investigation tasks such as crime prevention, detection, tracking and verification, ensuring that no area remains out of their reach.
Many Koreans living, studying, and working in Hanoi see the upcoming state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK) by Party General Secretary To Lam as an opportunity to generate strong synergy in economic cooperation, people-to-people exchanges, and cultural understanding.
The achievements of the five decades of Vietnam–Angola cooperation provide a strong and enduring foundation, as well as momentum for the two sides to consolidate, expand, and bring their partnership into a new phase of development.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stressed that the emulation and commendation work is a vital driver, fostering patriotism, dedication, and collective momentum in the run-up to the 11th National Patriotic Emulation Congress, Party congresses at all levels, and the 14th National Party Congress.
Emphasising the need for sustainable, long-term collaboration, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man called on Japanese investors not only to bring in capital but also to share expertise and modern technology, especially in areas such as green transformation, the circular economy, and advanced corporate governance.
President Luong Cuong's activities during his state visit to Angola, the celebration of the financial sector's 80th traditional day, and the Foreign Ministry's flag-hoisting ceremony marking the 58th founding anniversary of ASEAN are among news highlights on August 8.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung praised the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ meaningful initiative, noting that the ASEAN Family Run was not only a sporting activity but also an opportunity for diplomats and their families to show unity, connection, and solidarity within the ASEAN family.
Politburo member, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 8 attended the first congress of the Party Organisation of Tay Ho ward of Hanoi for the 2025–2030 term, during which he called for fresh momentum to turn the ward into a model that takes the lead in all fields.
The size of the economy increased from over 5 billion USD in 1986 to over 476 billion USD by 2024, making Vietnam the fourth-largest economy in Southeast Asia and the 34th largest in the world.
The ASEAN flag-hoisting ceremony is observed by the 10 ASEAN member countries on August 8 every year, aiming to spread and promote the ASEAN identity and affirm the determination to unite and cooperate for the common aspiration of long-term peace and prosperity of Southeast Asian countries under the common roof of the ASEAN Community.
Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Manh Cuong highlighted ASEAN’s nearly six decades of development, during which the region transformed from division to harmony, from confrontation to cooperation, and from poverty to dynamic growth, becoming a global bright spot for regional cooperation.
Thirty years ago, on July 28, 1995, Vietnam’s accession to ASEAN marked a historic strategic decision, opening a new chapter in the country’s integration process and beginning its strong rise.
Ambassador Vu Le Thai Hoang has outlined specific priorities and proposals for cooperation with the UNODA in preparation for the upcoming 11th Review Conference of the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).
The Vietnamese Party leader's visit is therefore expected to mark a new stage in the development of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries, with a focus on such areas as digital transformation, supply chains, semiconductors, clean energy, and maritime security, Choe assessed.
At their meeting, which took place in the Angolan capital of Luanda on August 7 as part of State President Luong Cuong’s ongoing state visit to the African nation, the two officials also agreed to make full use of existing cooperation mechanisms, particularly the Vietnam – Angola Intergovernmental Committee, and step up exchanges of delegations at all levels.
President Luong Cuong's talks with his Angolan counterrpart João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, Vietnamese leader's receptions for a delegation from the Japan – Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Alliance, and the Government's regular meeting for July are among news highlights on August 7 evening.
A traffic policeman checks the blood alcohol concentration of a driver (Photo: VNA)
