Vietnam Should Charge Environmental Fees for Cigarettes

Vietnamese lawmakers have proposed to charge environmental protection fees for cigarettes in a bid to curb the increasing number of smokers, state media reported last weekend. The lawmakers made the proposal while discussing the draft Law on Environmental Protection Tax at the National Assembly (NA)’s 7th working session June 5, the online Cong Thuong newspaper run by the Ministry of Industry and Trade reported last June 6. Deputy Thai Thi An Chung from the central province of Nghe An emphasized it is necessary to impose a tax on cigarettes because of its unreproduced filter and harm to the public health. Vietnam is among nations having the highest smoking rate with 56.1% of men and 1.8% of women in 2009, Chung noted.  Deputy Le Dung from the southern province of Tien Giang attributed cheap retail prices of cigarettes to the increase of smokers. More and more people including the poor can afford the prices.  Meanwhile, Tran Hanh from the northern province of Vinh Phuc blamed the environmental pollution to fertilizers in tobacco growing as well cigarette production sector. Vietnam has banned smoking at public places since early 2010 as part of its efforts to reduce smoking-related diseases that claim nearly 40,000 deaths per year. Despite the ban, the number of smokers remains high, at 92% in bus stations, 74% in medical stations and 63.8%% in schools, the Heath Bridge Canada’s survey showed. The high smoking rate at the public resulted from the government’s light punishments, said the Pham Hoang Anh from the Health Bridge Canada.