NATIONAL STRATEGY ON TOBACCO CONTROL
TILL 2020 AND THE VISION OF 2030
 (Promulgated by Decision No 229/QĐ-TTg
Dated 25, January 2013 of Prime Minister)

I. POINT OF VIEWS AND TARGETS ON TOBACCO CONTROL
1. State point of view:
a) The tobacco control should be paid attention by the leaders of ministries, sectors, agencies, organizations, localities, and is regarded as a regular and multidisciplinary task.
b) Communication, education and information on tobacco control is regarded as a leading solution and must be integrated into the programs and strategies on health promotion to enhance people's awareness on tobacco harms from that community behavior of tobacco use is expected to be changed.
c) To promote socialization on tobacco control based on mobilization of active participation of ministries, sectors, agencies, units, organizations, social organizations, non-governmental organizations and community.
d) To implement synchronously measures on reducing demands for tobacco use in conjunction with controlling gradually tobacco supply.
To boost inspection, check and punishment of violation of law on tobacco control
đ) To strengthen international cooperation and integration on tobacco control in accordance with the social- economic condition of the country.

2. Objectives:
a) General objectives:
To reduce the demand of tobacco use with an aim to gradually decrease tobacco products supply in Vietnamese market, contributing to the reduction of tobacco used diseases and deaths.  
b) Specific objectives:
- To reduce the rate of smoking in the following groups:
+ Youth (age of 15 - 24): from 26% in 2011 to 18% in 2020;
+ Male: from 47.4% in 2011 to 39% in 2020;
+ Female: under 1.4 % in 2020.

III. MAIN SOLUTIONS:
1. Finalization of policies, laws on tobacco control:
a) Development and completeness of legislation documents regulating details and guidelines of implementation of tobacco control law:
Based on assigned functions, tasks of state authorized agencies, to revise, amend, supplement and promulgate new legal documents on tobacco control regulating details and guidelines on implementation of tobacco control Law.
To develop legal documents and guidelines materials on implementation of smoke - free environment in accordance with the tobacco control Law
To unambiguously regulate fine for smoking at prohibited places, to assign specific responsibilities of authorized departments to actively period inspect and evaluate implementation of smoke-free environment.
To develop guidelines and implement strictly fine for individuals or organizations that violate regulations or bans on people less than 18 years of age use, buy and selling tobacco by automatic selling machines.
b) Development of a roadmap on tax adjustments and regulations on minimum price of tobacco aimed to limit demands for tobacco use:
A roadmap on tax adjustments and regulations on minimum price of tobacco products should meet objectives on no increase and then gradual reduction of purchasing tobacco products; apply appropriate measures to limit and control strictly sale of tobacco products in duty-free shops.
c) Control of the tobacco sale::
To develop master plan of tobacco business in the country, including area of tobacco ingredient, manufacture and selling network.  
To evaluate and public amount of  tobacco manufacture of enterprises in accordance with each period based on the total permitted production of the whole tobacco industry which has been announced before the date tobacco control Law takes effect.
To regularly inspect issuance of tobacco retail and wholesale license. To strictly control circulation of tobacco from wholesale to retail, to continue carrying out business license for wholesale dealers, retailers and to pilot issuing license for tobacco retailers.
To develop regulations on management import and selling of tobacco; to regulate main importers, quality standards and imported tobacco labels; to manage domestic circulation of imported tobacco products; to attach individual import stamps to differentiate imported and domestic tobacco.
To develop and modify, supplement legislation documents on complete prohibition of advertisement, promotion, sponsors of tobacco products in any form. To enhance inspection and supervision of enforcement of regulations on banning advertisement, promotion and sponsors
d) To gradually alter occupation for workers in the tobacco industry
To research and develop supporting project on feasibly alternative economic activities of tobacco growers and production workers.

2. Information, education and communication (IEC) on tobacco control:  
To develop programs and master plans on IEC for tobacco control and to implement to raise awareness and strengthen the support from policy makers and community.
To develop IEC materials and mass media on tobacco harms, benefits of smoke cessation, smoke-free environment, policies and laws on tobacco control which are suitable for every group.
To strengthen provision of information and communication on tobacco control for all groups, especially for policy makers, managers, youths, social staffs, and communication officers
To diversify IEC forms and channels on tobacco control
To increase length and frequency of IEC on tobacco control on mass media
To promote role of network of collaborators on tobacco control by mobilizing people in the community to implement tobacco control laws and actively participate in tobacco control activities.  To add criteria on non-smoking into the campaign of developing civilized life, family, culture in the community.
To develop training materials on tobacco control which are consistent with different education levels.
To promote education activities on tobacco harms and tobacco control in the school
To develop consulting services on tobacco harms and method of tobacco cessation for patients, families in health facilities.

3. Organization and human resources:
To consolidate the Executive Board of the National Steering Committee on Smoking and Health with the participation of ministries, sectors, agencies, unions and social organizations. To develop annual action plans, assign specific responsibilities of members of the Board, regularly organize summarization, evaluation of task and plan performance.
To research and develop projects to strengthen the Steering Committee on Smoking and Health Standing Office. To establish specialized units that are responsible for tobacco control and health promotion at the Ministry of Health, and to arrange chief staffs on tobacco control at MOH, ministerial-level agencies, People's Committees of provinces and cities under the Central, and unions aimed to enhance integrative collaboration on tobacco control.
To eestablish the Steering Committee of tobacco control program in the provinces and centrally run cities with the involvement of the departments, agencies, unions and other social organizations. To specify functions and mechanisms of collaboration among departments, agencies and organizations to ensure effective implementation of the tobacco control at local.
To strengthen inspection, supervision and enforcement of violations on tobacco control.
To develop mechanisms and plan on multidisciplinary collaboration, relationship between central and local levels in inspection, supervise and enforcement for the violations on tobacco control.
To organize period multidisciplinary inspections and check based on theme and geographical area of tobacco control.
To develop network and to build capacity for staff involving tobacco control from central to local level through workshops, training, seminars and other forms; It is necessary to have appropriate supporting policies to encourage participation of social workers, community collaborators for tobacco control activities.
To organize training to build capacity for specialized inspection team to regularly monitor and supervise implementation of law on advertisement, promotion and sponsors of organizations and individuals selling tobacco. To enhance support for anti-smuggling forces, especially in the border provinces
To promote the role of unions and mass organizations in monitoring implementation of tobacco control law and to mobilize communities to give up the habit of tobacco use.

4. Financial solution:
To diverse financial resources supporting for tobacco control activities from various types such as the tobacco control Fund that is established to comply with tobacco control Law; state budget (the central budget and local budgets); domestic and international voluntary contribution of organizations and individuals. To mobilize additional financial and technical support of the international organizations for tobacco control activities
To develop project on tobacco control Fund model that is suitable and efficient with Vietnam, and submit to the Prime Minister for consideration and approval. To develop activities regulations, guidelines on income, payment and liquidation of tobacco control Fund to ensure that funds are used in appropriate purpose, efficiency and economics.
Funds for tobacco control activities should be allocated appropriately, among of that concentration is for IEC activities, research on evidence to develop policy, monitoring and evaluation of implementation of tobacco control law.
To develop of smoking cessation support services; to promote scientific studies and application of detoxification methods in accordance with the socio-economic conditions of Vietnam. To allow production, import and use of smoking cessation medicine with preferential tax policies in compliance with existing regulations of the State.

5. Other solutions:
a) International cooperation:
To cooperate with the World Health Organization and other international organizations in research, evaluation, development of policies on tobacco control aimed to implement the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
To organize regional and international scientific conferences and seminars on tobacco control to share and learn experience on effective solutions on tobacco control
To organize study tour to share experience on tobacco control in countries in the region and the world
To involve in developing and applying guidelines of the World Health Organization on implementation of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in accordance with the conditions of Vietnam.
b) Environmental protection:
To promote measures to protect environment and health of people involved with tobacco growing and production. To move tobacco manufacture factory away from residential areas in accordance with the State's plan.

IV. IMPLEMENTATION OF STRATEGY:
1. Phase for strategy implementation:
a) Phase 1 (2012 - 2015): To focus on dissemination of tobacco control Law; to complete implementation of guidelines on Law, banning advertisement, promotion, sponsors of tobacco products; to enforce regulations on smoke-free environment; to complete mechanism and organization to manage and use tobacco control Fund; to evaluate implementation of legal documents on tobacco control; to strengthen organization and network of tobacco control and to enhance coordination on tobacco control of the Ministry of Health.
b) Phase 2 (2016 - 2020): To continue strengthening enforcement of smoke –free environment regulations; to carry out research, assessment on the rate of tobacco use, passive exposure to tobacco smoke; to monitor and evaluate implementation of regulations on prohibiting advertisement, promotion and sponsors of tobacco products, illegal business of tobacco products.

2. Responsibilities of involved ministries, localities and agencies:
a) Steering Board of the National Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms Program:
Steering Board of the program established under Decision No. 467/QD-TTg dated 17/4/2001 of the Prime Minister is responsible for directing implementation of tobacco control activities in the nation.
To direct development of strategy and national action plan on tobacco control for each phase and the annual work plan.
To steer, organize, supervise and inspect implementation of the strategy, national action plan on tobacco control.
b) Ministry of Health:
As the standing agency on tobacco control, the Ministry of Health is accountable for organizing and coordinating implementation of interdisciplinary programs and plans on tobacco control in the country. The standing Office of the tobacco control program is located in the Ministry of Health which is responsible for assisting the Steering Board implement the Framework Convention and plan on tobacco control.
To take lead, collaborate with concerned agencies to review and systematize legal documents on tobacco control;  to develop regulations on content, form, warning information on harms of tobacco on health, ingredient and concentration of substances in tobacco products; to develop and manage the national standard on cigarettes; to study and implement smoking cessation methods;
To take lead and collaborate with the Ministry of Education and Training to compile documents on tobacco control which is put into the training curriculum of schools and medical and pharmaceutical schools.
To collaborate with the Ministry of Finance to assess impact of tobacco taxes on consumption of tobacco products and governmental revenues
To collaborate with relevant ministries such as the Ministry of Information and Communications, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Vietnam Television, Voice of Vietnam, and mass media organizations to actively hold activities to disseminate objectives, significance, and content of tobacco control Law and the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control; to call people in the community to participate positively in implementation of laws on tobacco control.
Every year the Ministry of Health takes lead to synthesize and report to the Prime Minister implementation of Law and Strategy on tobacco control, and the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
c) The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism:
To take lead in developing guidelines on full prohibition of tobacco advertisement on press, dramas work, and culture and art forms. To strictly control implementation of banning advertisement and promotion of tobacco products and strong punishment for violations
To be responsible for mainstream information, education and communication on tobacco harm prevention and control harms on press, dramas work, and culture and art forms; to disseminate development of cultural lifestyle on not invite and use tobacco products; to build tourism destinations without smoke
d) Ministry of Information and Communications:
To take lead in developing guidelines on full prohibition of tobacco advertisement and promotion on mass media.
To strictly control implementation of banning tobacco advertisement and to strongly fine violation of tobacco advertisement on mass media
To take lead and collaborate with the Ministry of Health on IEC on directions, policies and laws on tobacco control; to steer strictly not to propagandize information on advertisement, promotion and sponsors of the tobacco enterprises on mass media.
đ) The Ministry of Industry and Trade:
To take lead in developing network plan of wholesale and retail business of tobacco products, tobacco industry investment; to pilot issuing license for tobacco retailers. To collaborate with Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to step by step research and develop feasibly alternative projects on economy for tobacco growers and production workers.
To collaborate with other ministries and agencies to promote prevention and control illegal business of tobacco products
e) The Ministry of Education and Training:
To take lead in researching and integrating contents on tobacco control into the training curriculum of various education grades
To enhance communication and education on tobacco control for pupils, students, officials and employees in the education sector
To continue steering development of smoke- free schools model.
g) Ministry of Finance:
To take lead and collaborate with Ministry of Health to complete projects and guideline documents on establishment, operation and organization of tobacco control Fund to timely support for tobacco control activities in the country; To develop roadmap of excise tax adjustment of tobacco products to reduce the rate of tobacco use; To assess impacts on excise tax policy on tobacco consumption and revenues of the State; To check labeling of tobacco products.
To ensure allocation of funds from the state budget in the annual expenditure to ministries, localities in accordance with the current budget decentralization for tobacco control activities.
h) Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development:
To research and develop viable alternative projects on economy for tobacco growers, step by step replace partly tobacco trees in areas of tobacco plant in order to ensure people's life in difficult regions.
i) Ministry of Public Security:
To strengthen tobacco control activities among policemen; to collaborate with the Ministry of Industry and Trade and other relevant agencies to promote prevention and control of illegal tobacco business, and to involve to fine violation of regulation on tobacco control.
k) Ministry of Defense:
To strengthen tobacco control activities among departments under the Ministry of Defense’s management;
To collaborate with ministries and agencies to participate in against smuggling tobacco;
l) Vietnam Television, Voice of Vietnam, the mass media:
To develop plans and take appropriate time for broadcasting, to develop news aimed to disseminate widely objectives, significance and contents of tobacco control Law, the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control; to urge people in the community to actively implement regulations on tobacco control
m) The socio-political organizations:
The Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor, Vietnam Farmers Union, the Vietnam Women's Union, the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, and the Vietnam Veterans Association mobilize members of their organizations to participate actively in the tobacco control campaign;
To develop and promulgate guiding documents on organization of tobacco control; to collaborate with the Ministry of Health to compile documents on tobacco control which are suitable for each subject group; to collaborate with authorization and mobilize people not to use tobacco products in the community, in festivals, wedding ceremonies, funerals, and family parties.
n) People's Committees of provinces and cities under the Central Government:
To take lead in directing and organizing implementation of plan and strategy at locality
To actively mobilize resources and allocate annual budget meeting requirements of tobacco harms prevention at locality. To submit annual report on results of implementation of objectives and tasks of the strategy in the geographical area to the Government