Two key milestones in tobacco control in Vietnam were reached in the early 2000s. First, the Government issued its National Tobacco Control Policy for 2000-2010 (Resolution No. 12/2000/NQ-CP). The Policy addressed all major aspects of tobacco control, ranging from measures to reduce demand to measures to reduce supply. Second, the Government founded the Vietnam Steering Committee on Smoking or Health (VINACOSH) in 2001, an inter-ministerial Committee comprised of representatives from some Ministries and the Unions of Trade, Women, Youth, and Farmers. Each of these organizations had an important role to play in developing, coordinating, and implementing tobacco control policies in Vietnam. Even with the achievement of these two key milestones, however, tobacco control efforts remained disjointed, with a number of pilot interventions often carried out in isolation by a handful of agencies.

This project aimed to strengthen and expand tobacco control in Vietnam through the integration of tobacco control into existing programs and through the expansion of the number of key organizations and individuals in the North and South of Vietnam actively and effectively involved in tobacco control.

• Increased number of agencies involved in tobacco control by integration of tobacco control into their existing programs
• Formalized and expended Tobacco Control Working Group (TCWG)
• Improved capacity of the TCWG members and tobacco control researchers
• Expanded number of tobacco control intervention and research projects that support tobacco cessation, strong health warnings, smoke-free places, and tobacco tax increase
• Mobilized media and gained support from policy makers for strong tobacco control laws.