The campaign of National No Tobacco Week in Vietnam has apparently turned out to be ineffective as many smokers were still seen lighting up in public places during the seven-day movement.

The National No Tobacco Week was held in Vietnam from May 25 to 31, in response to the World No Tobacco Day (May 31).

Meetings were held and signs were hung in the country’s big cities to raise awareness on the harms of tobacco and call on people to stop smoking in public places such as hospitals at least for one week.

However, these efforts seemed wasted as smoking remained common at hospitals and bus stations during the campaign.

For instance, many people, mostly family members of patients at the Children’s Hospital 2 in Ho Chi Minh City, were seen smoking as they sat on the benches under the shades of trees where posters and signs of the no-tobacco week were hung inside the infirmary, as observed by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on May 29.

The green space originally designed as a playground for the child patients was being used as a smoking area by the smokers.

Even worse, the smokers even irresponsibly lit up right beside their children and wives, regardless of the harmful impact of negative smoking.

Whenever a group of smokers left the area, another would come and fill the green space with tobacco smoke.

The situation was no better at Tu Du Maternity Hospital, also located in District 1.

Male smokers were seen puffing on the benches in front of the hospital’s cafeteria, turning a deaf ear to loudspeakers that continuously issued ‘no smoking’ warnings.

At the Mien Dong (Eastern) Bus Station in Binh Thanh District, young male travelers paid no notice to “no smoking” signs placed everywhere, from waiting lounges to parking lots. Even so, no bus station attendant would show up to ask the smokers to stop.

Ironically, people puffing in the parking lot just outnumbered those who did so inside the designated smoking room at the station, as observed by Tuoi Tre.

A no smoking sign is seen hung on a tree at Children’s Hospital 2 in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre

A man smokes next to his son at Children’s Hospital 2 in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre

Cigarette butts are left under a tree at Children’s Hospital 2 in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre

A man smokes next to a child and a woman at Children’s Hospital 2 in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre

Two men smoke on a bench at Mien Dong Bus Station in Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre

A man smokes on a bench at Children’s Hospital 2 in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre

Two men smoke on a bench at Children’s Hospital 2 in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre

A smoking room is seen at Mien Dong Bus Station in Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre

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