Smoking in Vietnam is a major health concern, with an estimated 50% of men and 5% of women using tobacco, an estimated 18 million smokers in 2013. In the same year, 47 million non-smokers in Vietnam were regularly exposed to tobacco smoke. Vietnam's Health Education and Communication Center estimates that 40,000 people die annually in Vietnam from first- or secondhand smoking, and that if nothing changes, 10% of the Vietnamese population die from smoking-related illnesses by 2030. Secondhand smoking is noted to have worsened over the years, with more measures required for smoke-free environments favorable for non-smokers.

Thuốc lào

A traditional form of tobacco smoking in Vietnam is called ''thuốc lào'', where the highly potent leaves of the ''

Nicotiana rustica ''Nicotiana rustica'', commonly known as Aztec tobacco or strong tobacco, is a rainforest plant in the family Solanaceae. It is a very potent variety of tobacco, containing up to nine times more nicotine than common species of ''Nicotiana'' such ...

'' plant are smoked through a

water pipe Plumbing is any system that conveys fluids for a wide range of applications. Plumbing uses pipes, valves, plumbing fixtures, tanks, and other apparatuses to convey fluids. Heating and cooling (HVAC), waste removal, and potable water delive ...

, which is called ''điếu cày''. Smoking ''thuốc lào'' is considered far more dangerous than cigarette smoking. Apart from the regular harms caused by smoke inhalation, there have been several instances of individuals choking to death or suffering sudden respiratory failure due to the sudden inhalation of large amounts of smoke.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Smoking In Vietnam Culture of Vietnam Health in Vietnam

Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...