Vietnam law bans smoking in public

Vietnam law bans smoking in public

AFP

Jun. 18, 2012

Vietnam has passed a law banning smoking in public places and all tobacco advertising, an official said Tuesday.

The law, passed by 440 out of 468 national assembly deputies on Monday, also makes it illegal to sell tobacco products to anyone under 18 years old, said the parliamentary official, who did not want to be named.

It will take effect from next May, state media said.

Smoking in public places — including schools, hospitals, office buildings and on public transport — was banned once already in 2010 by a government decree, which also raised tax on tobacco and restricted the sale of cigarettes.

But that order was widely ignored, with smoking in public places widespread and cigarettes available at small kiosks on nearly every street in the capital Hanoi.

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(Partisan Ranger Note: It is nice to know that the US was years ahead of the Communists on restrictive measures such as this.)