Yen Bai strives to build smoke-free environment

  •  Tuesday, May 30, 2023

YênBái - In order to create a safe and healthy working and learning environment, medical facilities and schools in Yen Bai have intensified their efforts to raise awareness of officials, civil servants and students about quitting smoking in workplaces and public areas, toward building a smoke-free environment.

Teachers and students of Le Hong Phong secondary school in Yen Bai city learn about the Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms.
Teachers and students of Le Hong Phong secondary school in Yen Bai city learn about the Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms.

In recent years, the Luc Yen district medical centre has launched various activities to raise awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco, disseminate the contents of the Law on Tobacco Harm Prevention, and urge the public to quit smoking, in order to protect their own health and the community. As a result, medical staff and patients have become more aware of the dangers posed by smoking, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cardiovascular diseases, cancer and diabetes, among others.

Tran Trung Thanh, Deputy Director of the Luc Yen district medical centre, said the office has installed signs prohibiting smoking in crowded areas, placed images depicting the harmful effects of smoking along pathways and corridors in departments and rooms, and reminded patients and their families not to smoke. Medical staff pledged not to smoke at their workplaces, and the no-smoking policy has been included in the annual performance evaluation and ranking of personnel, making it a mandatory requirement to ensure that all doctors and medical staff in the hospital do not smoke during working hours.

Recently, there has been an increasing trend among young people in using e-cigarettes. To prevent tobacco and stimulants from infiltrating the school environment and to create a safe and healthy learning environment for students, Rector of Le Hong Phong secondary school in Yen Bai city Nguyen Thi Luyen has incorporated awareness campaigns into meetings, and regularly reminded teachers not to smoke.

During the parents’ meeting, the school urged parents to educate their children and enforce the no-smoking policy.

Vu Hoang Bach, an 8th-grade student at Le Hong Phong secondary school, said: "We have joined in various competitions and extracurricular activities on the topic of tobacco harm prevention, thus gaining knowledge about protecting health and signing a commitment to not possess or use tobacco, e-cigarettes, alcohol or beer."

It is known that the school has also included no-smoking in the evaluation criteria for teachers and students. It also has strengthened the monitoring of the enforcement of the Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms and responded to the National No-Smoking Week and World No-Tobacco Day on May 31.

Luyen said the school continues raising awareness of teachers and students regarding the enforcement of the Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms. The teachers serve as role models by not smoking, and students are encouraged to develop a healthy lifestyle and create a safe and friendly learning environment.

joining hands in building a clean and smoke-free living environment contributes to changing attitudes, abandoning the habit of smoking in workplaces and public areas, and protecting the health of individuals, families, and the community.

Bui Minh