Experts and officials commented on laws and policies regarding the prevention of alcohol abuse and its negative impacts, which are emerging as a pressing issue today.

At a workshop held in Hanoi on December 30, they were introduced to a draft law on preventing and combating alcohol abuse harmful effects by Nguyen Huy Quang, head of the Ministry of Health’s Legal Affairs Department.

A Bloomberg-funded road safety project shows that 20.8 percent of adolescent boys in Vietnam admitted to drink-driving and having accidents that took them at least one week to recover.

To curb negative effects of alcohol abuse, persuasive evidence should be provided, communication activities stepped up, relevant laws crafted, legal regulations’ influence broadcast, and adequate resources should be put in place, Quang said.

Since 2010, the country has designed five messages against drink-driving that were broadcast on prime hours on television and radio channels and posted on e-newspapers and websites. An estimated 60-70 percent of the population accessed these messages.

Tightened supervision over drink-drivers, which has brought about initial outcomes, needs to be maintained, participants at the workshop said.

According to Quang, the draft law on preventing and combating alcohol abuse negative impacts will, apart from overall regulations, also stipulate measures controlling alcohol demand and supply, reducing alcohol misuse’s harmful effects, and ensuring resources for the work.

At the function, participants also touched upon influence of alcohol advertisement, promotion and sponsorship as well as more facts of alcohol misuse in Vietnam.-VNA