Some residents in Ho Chi Minh City seem to be oblivious to no-smoking signs and continue to smoke with little regard to others and no concern of the recent strict ban on public smoking.

Four months have passed since the new law was put into place but change doesn't seem to be happening. The city continues being plagued by cigarette smoke, with or without any regulations. How to effectively enforce the law remains a challenge for the authorities in HCMC. No disciplinary action has been implemented to prevent smoking in public places and many smokers don't seem to be bothered by this dangerous habit.

During a conference recently held on May 28 about preventing the harmful effects of cigarettes, the HCMC Department of Health addressed factors that have contributed to the new ban being ineffective. The fact that the majority of the population smoke is a major factor. This also applies to a large number of people who work in medical fields and and it is a common sight to see people inhaling cigarettes while waiting outside hospitals. The question on how to control this problem has yet to be answered.

To promote awareness and reduce the number of deaths caused by the negative effects of smoking, the World Health Organization has chosen May 31 as "World No Tobacco Day". Most smokers in HCMC had no concern whatsoever and shook their head without worry when asked about this day.

A man smoking beside his wife and kid.

Smoking in public.