Tobacco-induced healthcare costs in Vietnam surge to $4.5 billion per year
Vietnam spends around $1.95 billion annually on tobacco, while the total costs related to tobacco-induced healthcare, illnesses, and deaths reach an estimated $4.5 billion each year, according to data from the Ministry of Health.
"Tobacco is placing a significant burden on both Vietnam's economy and public health," said Nguyen Thi Thu Huong from the Tobacco Control Fund under the Ministry of Health.
The economic toll from tobacco use is staggering, amounting to nearly 1.5% of Vietnam’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2023, which was estimated at $433.3 billion by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The financial damage caused by tobacco far surpasses the revenue generated from tobacco taxes.
A study conducted by K Hospital, a leading cancer treatment centre in Hanoi, revealed that 97% of lung cancer patients in the country are tobacco users. Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation (WHO) reported that around 104,300 tobacco-related deaths occur annually in Vietnam, with 19,000 of those attributed to secondhand smoke.
Huong also expressed concern over the rising smoking rates among women. In the past eight years, the smoking rate among women aged 15 and older has increased from 1.1% to 1.5%, despite a drop in male smokers from 45.3% to 38.9%. E-cigarette use among female students is also growing, which Huong warned could lead to tobacco use later in life.
"Teenagers who start using e-cigarettes at age 14 are more likely to smoke tobacco by age 17," she said. E-cigarette usage among students aged 13-15 jumped from 3.5% to 8% between 2022 and 2023. Similarly, adult e-cigarette use has risen from 0.2% in 2015 to 3.6% in 2020.
"The progress Vietnam has made in reducing cigarette use over the past decade is at risk of being undone by the growing popularity of e-cigarettes among young people," Huong noted.
To address this, Huong called for increased tobacco taxes and the creation of more non-smoking spaces. Currently, Vietnam taxes tobacco at 38.8% of the sale price, significantly lower than the 70% recommended by the WHO. Huong highlighted that this low tax rate makes tobacco easily accessible, particularly to young people and those with lower incomes.
The Ministry of Health is also urging the government and the National Assembly to consider a nationwide ban on the production, sale, and use of e-cigarettes, as reported by VN Express.
