Clamping down smoking in bus stations in HCMC

At the seminar “Enhancing implementation of smoke-free environment” organized by the Center for Health Consultation and Community Development on December 25th, many participants highly valued the pilot project “Smoke-free bus stations” carried out from May, 2019 to now with the aim to reduce half of smokers in bus stations by 2020.

Total 114 bus drivers and attendants paid fines of nearly VND59 million (USD2,536) for smoking at a downtown bus station in a campaign to crack down on smoking in public places this year.

Piloting the project “Smoke-free bus stations”, Hanoi and HCMC are trying to encourage people not to smoke in hospitals, hotels, restaurants and bus stations in order to reduce the harmful effects of passive smoking.

Anyone caught smoking in prohibited areas will be fined between VND100,000 - 300,000 (USD4.3-13). Restaurants not displaying signs will be fined between VND3-5 million.

Those who sell tobacco to people under 18 or employ teenagers under 18 to sell tobacco will be fined from VND500,000 to VND2 million.

The project aims to halve the rate of passive smoking in public transport locations in the city by 2020.

In reality, there have been difficulties in implementation of the regulation and issuance of fine on violators./.