On the morning of May 31, at the Trade Union Consulting and Support Center for Workers in Bac Giang province, the Tobacco Harm Prevention Fund (Ministry of Health), the Bac Giang Provincial Labor Federation coordinated with the Labor Magazine and the Trade Union to organize a Rally in response to the National Smoke-free Week and World Tobacco-free Day (31.5).
Attending the conference were Mr. Ngo Duy Hieu - Vice Chairman of Vietnam General Confederation of Labor; Mr. Nguyen Van Canh - Member of the Executive Committee of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor, Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial Labor Union; leaders of departments, agencies and branches of Bac Giang province and numerous cadres, civil servants, officials and employees attended.
Using tobacco is one of the most serious threats to global public health today. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), each year, more than 8 million people in the world die from tobacco-related diseases, of which up to 1.3 million people die from passive smoking.
In Vietnam, it is estimated that over 100,000 deaths every year tobacco; In particular, more than 84 thousand people died from active smoking. The total economic loss caused by tobacco for Vietnam is up to about 108 trillion dong per year - more than 5 times the tax collected from the tobacco industry. The World Tobacco Day in 2025 has the theme "Exposing fake attractiveness", a strong warning from the World Health Organization, exposing sophisticated strategies of tobacco manufacturers. They are constantly promoting and marketing addictive products under "less toxic", "more stylish", aimed at young people, young people and trade union members.
Speaking here, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor, Ngo Duy Hieu said that during the past 12 years, the Vietnam Trade Union organization has always been a pioneer force to accompany the Government, the health sector and the whole society in the implementation of the Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harm. With the synchronization, up to now, more than 87% of grassroots trade unions have built a smoke -free working environment; Over 1 million union members and workers abandoned or reduced smoking. The Vietnam Trade Union organization will continue to promote the core role, accompany with the authorities to strive to 2030, bringing the smoking rate in men to 35% as the target has been set.
The Vice President of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor called on and requested that trade unions at all levels nationwide continue to strongly innovate, diversify forms of propaganda, and mobilize union members and workers to actively participate in building a smoke-free working environment.
Vice President of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor Ngo Duy Hieu requested that trade unions at all levels proactively launch extensive communication campaigns, get involved in tobacco harm prevention; create a smoke-free working environment; provide substantial support for union members and workers to quit smoking; build and honor exemplary union members who quit smoking. In particular, each union member needs to become a "shield" to protect the community. Do not smoke at work, dare to remind colleagues when they smoke in the wrong place, actively participate in anti-smoke campaigns - that is a citizen responsibility, a duty of workers to progress.
Speaking in response, Permanent Vice President of the Bac Giang Provincial Federation of Labor Nguyen Manh Hung suggested: Trade unions at all levels in Bac Giang province continue to increase the dissemination of the Law on Tobacco Harm Prevention to all union members, workers, and students; organize practical activities in response to the World Day of No Smoking and launch a movement to build a smoke-free workplace, ensuring a clean, safe and civilized working environment, associated with the criteria of office culture and labor safety.
Union members, workers and students strongly propagate and spread the message about the harmful effects of tobacco to friends, relatives, colleagues and the community.
