Health

Average Vietnamese consumes over 6 litres of alcoholic drinks per year

Average Vietnamese consumes over 6 litres of alcoholic drinks per year: seminar

The rate of alcohol use in Vietnam is at an alarming level with the average Vietnamese consuming approximately 6.6 litres of alcoholic drinks on an annual basis, according to Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Truong Son.
Average Vietnamese consumes over 6 litres of alcoholic drinks per year: seminar ảnh 1WHO Representative in Vietnam Kidong Park speaks at the event (Photo: suckhoedoisong.vn)

Hanoi (VNA) – The rate of alcoholuse in Vietnam is at an alarming level with the average Vietnamese consumingapproximately 6.6 litres of alcoholic drinks on an annual basis, according toDeputy Minister of Health Nguyen Truong Son.

Son shared the information at a seminar onbuilding policies on preventing alcohol-related problems, held by the HealthMinistry and the World Health Organisation (WHO) Vietnam in Hanoi on April 22.

Speaking at the event, the official said theproduction of alcohol in Vietnam is on the rise, while the world is followingthe opposite trend. Alcohol use creates 200 different diseases and is rankedthird among top causes of early deaths and disabilities worldwide.

WHO Representative in Vietnam Kidong Parkexpressed his concern over alcohol abuse in Vietnam, which led to 79,000 deathsin 2016.

It is expected that by 2025, the country’sannual average consumption of alcohol will hit 7 litres.

However, as heard at the seminar, thecountry’s current legal system on the prevention of alcohol-related problemsjust consists of the Government’s 2017 Decree on the management of alcoholproduction and trade as well as the Prime Minister’s 2014 Decision on thenational policy on preventing alcohol abuse by 2020. Both documents remainorientations and need to be turned into legal regulations. 

The ministry has been working to compile adraft law on combating alcohol-related problems, which will be submitted for asecond time to the National Assembly (NA) at its 7th session nextmonth. The ministry is still gathering recommendations from NA deputiesregarding the draft law.-VNA
VNA
#rate of alcohol use in Vietnam #alcoholic drinks #Nguyen Truong Son #policies on preventing alcohol-related problems #World Health Organisation in Vietnam #alcohol-related problems #draft law on combating alcohol-related problems #Vietnam News Agency #vietnamplus
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