Vietnam Will Ban Smoking, Cigarette Sale in Training Institutions

The Ministry of Education and Training has sent an official dispatch to request local departments, universities, colleges and vocational schools to ban smoking in line with the government decision from January 1st, 2010.  Under the dispatch, training institutions were asked to publicize “non-smoking” symbol in classrooms, meeting halls, offices and hallways, the Thanh Nien newspaper reported. The dispatch also asked institutions to stop selling cigarettes at the school environment. Any activities related to advertising cigarettes will be strictly fined, it added.  Vietnam is among countries worldwide having the high rate of smokers at about 56% and the smoking-related deaths are reported at 40,000 per year, four times higher than the number of deaths caused by traffic accidents, the Ministry of Health said.