Tobacco Harm Prevention in Viet Nam

[Vocalek]

I am not quite sure what to make of this.

SATPP | Abstract | The development of Tobacco Harm Prevention Law in Vietnam: stakeholder tensions over tobacco control legislation in a state owned industry

Conclusion

The state-ownership of tobacco industry poses a major paradox within the government that benefits from manufacturing of tobacco products and is also responsible for controlling tobacco consumption. The perceptions of negative implications on government revenue and the macro-economy, coupled with the reluctance to challenge these issues from health perspective too directly, means that tobacco control has yet to secure itself a place on the priority policy agenda. The overall policy environment will shift in favour of tobacco control only if the economic framing can be challenged.

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[rolygate]

Same as China and Russia, no doubt: they depend on the cigarette tax revenue. Apparently China owns a lot of the cigarette manufacturers as well, so gets a double whammy if consumption drops.

Probably, no one will complain too hard until the cost of treating the sick gets too high. That might happen in Russia where public medical care may be reasonable (not sure). It won't happen in China - there is no chance they will give full treatment to cancer / COPD / heart disease sufferers, they'll probably just let them die.

Part of the problem with anti-tobacco extremists in Europe is that in most countries there full medical care is free, and in some places like France and the UK is about as good as you could get anywhere by paying for it. That gives the antis the right to bring up the cost to the economy. Even so, the tax is so high that smokers pay in ten times more than the cost of their treatment.

The tobacco tax in emerging economies is very low so there is nothing built in for the cost of treating the sick. Governments will just take the money and ignore the sick. They won't stand for any threat to the tax revenue.