[Intl-tobacco] Vietnam bans smoking in schools (fwd)

[Robert Weissman]

Vietnam bans smoking in schools
by Richard Palmer
Source: Schoolsnet, Tuesday, 8/14/01

Vietnam's education ministry has banned smoking and the sale of cigarettes
in schools as part of a nationwide campaign to reduce the number of young
people taking up the habit.

Cigarette sales and promotion have been banned at all ministry-controlled
venues, including conference centres and sports facilities as well as
primary and secondary schools.

The decree, aimed at cutting smoking among teachers as well as pupils,
sets ambitious targets for reducing cigarette use over the next few years.

By 2010, the ministry aims to cut smoking among university students to
less than two per cent, among male teachers to less than 10 per cent and
among female teachers to one percent.

Vietnam has one of the highest male smoking rates in the world, but female
rates are still low because of social pressures against a habit seen as
unladylike.

More than 50 per cent of Vietnamese men smoke, according to health
ministry figures but that is down from 63 per cent in 1993.

Female smoking runs at only 3.4 per cent, most of it pipe-smoking or
tobacco chewing among older women in the countryside.