The launching ceremony for the mass media campaign called “Cigarettes Are Eating You Alive” was jointly held by the ministry, the World Health Organization and the World Lung Foundation (WLF).

The campaign will inform millions of Vietnamese smokers about the serious health effects of tobacco and secondhand smoke on adults and children by broadcasting two ads about the issue on nationwide television channels.

“Cigarettes Are Eating You Alive” visually depicts how smoking damages vital organs of the body and can cause serious health problems, even death, in children who are exposed to cigarette smoke. . . .

In August, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung signed a decision to ban smoking in indoor public places, starting on January 1, 2010.

The places will include classrooms, healthcare facilities, libraries, theaters, cultural centers, public vehicles and indoor workplaces.