According to the Vietnam Tobacco Association, the country consumed 4.174 billion packs of cigarettes in 2012. With a population around 90 million, that’s good for an average of over 46 packs a year per person. Yikes…
Cigarette smoking has been increasing year on year since 2010, when Vietnamese consumed 3.986 billion packs.
With nearly 50% of males over 15 addicted to cigarettes, Vietnam has one of the highest rates of male tobacco smoking in the world. And, due to the few restrictions on indoor and public smoking, an additional 47 million people are regularly exposed to the cancerous smoke (according to a 2010 global adult tobacco survey).
The most alarming takeaway from a recent Ho Chi Minh City Health Education and Communication Center report is the prediction that if no steps are taken, by 2030, 10% of the Vietnamese population will have died from smoking related diseases.
These figures were released at a recent conference in Hanoi aimed at implementing a national program to combat smuggled and contraband cigarettes. Around 800 million packs of cigarettes, mainly JET and HERO are smuggled into Vietnam each year, costing the country nearly VND4.8 billion in tax revenue.
