Title:

Alcoholic beverage in Vietnam: Problems, Causes & Solutions

Abstract

The issue of alcohol is one of the big topics when it comes to health and social order. Therefore, the
issue of alcohol has always been focused on by the Vietnamese government. The report describes the
outstanding problems of traffic accidents related to alcohol and the harmful effects of alcohol on human
health based on the articles of the Ministry of Health (2022), alcohol has made the death rate from
traffic accidents in Vietnam high. There are also studies evaluating Vinmec's (2022) assessment of the
harmful effects of alcohol on the human body. In addition, Tien Phong's article (2019) also outlines the
strengths and challenges of the law on alcohol harm prevention in Vietnam. The cause of this problem is
the drinking habits of Vietnamese people and the substances contained in alcohol affecting their health
of Vietnamese people. In my opinion, the Vietnamese government has good solutions such as fines and
alcohol tax increases.

- Key words: Alcohol, alcohol-related traffic accidents, harmful effects of alcohol on

human health.

Table of contents
 AEG114 – MODEL MAIN OUTLINE
1. INTRODUCTION
Currently, the alcohol problem in Vietnam is a concern because it has a great
impact on health and most traffic accidents are caused by alcohol. Because it
is a thorny issue, in Vietnam, the government always cares and intervenes.
This issue has a direct impact on health and social order and safety in
Vietnam, so there are many publicly published articles and studies for
Vietnamese people to easily access such as the Report of the Ministry of
Health (2022) on traffic when alcohol use causes high rates of accidents and
deaths. Vinmec's evaluation study (2022) on the harmful effects of alcohol
on users' health. There is also an article by Tien Phong newspaper (2019)
that outlines the strengths and challenges of Vietnamese law in preventing
the harmful effects of alcohol. This report is divided into four large sections.
The first is the current problem and its causes, the second is the solution and
government intervention in that problem, and finally the assessment and
conclusion. The challenge of alcohol problem in Vietnam occurs when
people have the habit of using alcohol when participating in traffic and the
harmful effects of alcohol on people's health. The Vietnamese government
has taken measures such as penalizing road users for using alcohol and
increasing taxes on alcohol products.
2. RATIONALE
2 sentences on the reasons why the study is important:
This study solves the problem of alcohol in Vietnam, especially the problem of
alcohol use when coal traffic and the harmful effects of alcohol on human
health. In addition, the study also analyzes and evaluates the government's
solutions to be able to solve the above problem.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
3.1 PROBLEMS OF THE COMMODITY
Topic sentence that shows there are 2 main problems
- Alcohol consumption in Vietnam is increasing at an alarming rate and
comes down to two major problems: traffic accidents caused by alcohol
and the harmful effects of alcohol on human health.
- Problem 1:
+ How serious is problem 1
(Compulsory research evidence)
The first problem is that alcohol is a hot issue in Vietnam because it leads
to many painful problems such as traffic accidents. According to Thanh
 Nien newspaper, in Vietnam, up to 32% of traffic accidents in men and
20% of traffic accidents in women are related to alcohol use. In
particular, 34% of traffic deaths in Vietnam are caused by alcohol use
while driving. https://thanhnien.vn/34-ca-tu-vong-tai-nan-giao-thong-do-
ruou-bia-can-suc-manh-cua-noi-khong-1851440752.htm.

- Problem 2: rút ngắn lại

+ How serious is problem 2
(Compulsory research evidence)
The next issue that will be discussed is that alcohol is harmful to human health.
Alcohol consumption in Vietnam is the second largest among Southeast Asian
countries and ranked third in Asia in terms of average alcohol consumption.
Drinking alcohol has a lot of harmful effects that are not good for both physical
and mental health. First, it directly affects the psyche dilating blood vessels,
especially the external blood vessels. That explains the phenomenon that when
using alcohol, we have a feeling of warming. After drinking alcohol excessively,
the body's natural thermoregulation is no longer effective because it also has the
effect of anesthesia to create a cold feeling that can no longer be felt. Therefore,
drinking alcohol in winter can easily lead to freezing cold and death. Besides the
psychological impact of alcohol, it is very strong on the body of the person who
uses them. According to Dr. Tran Quoc Bao, alcohol is a direct cause of at least 30
diseases and injuries and an indirect cause of at least 200 diseases in the
international classification of diseases. Alcohol is the 2nd leading risk factor for
disability and death in Viet Nam. According to Dr. Tran Quoc Bao, the number of
alcohol deaths when summarized is a large number. Alcohol use has been causing
a burden on health, and the economy and increasing social problems. According
to the most recent statistics, each year there are more than 548,000 deaths due
to cancer, cardiovascular, mental, digestive, infectious, and some other diseases,
of which it is estimated that there are more than 40,800 deaths related to alcohol
(accounting for 7.5%).
https://moh.gov.vn/hoat-dong-cua-dia-phuong/-/asset_publisher/gHbla8vOQDuS
/content/ruou-bia-la-nguyen-nhan-gay-ra-hon-40-000-ca-tu-vong-moi-nam
https://www.vinmec.com/vi/tin-tuc/thong-tin-suc-khoe/5-benh-dang-so-do-
ruou/
3.2 CAUSES OF THE MENTIONED PROBLEMS

Topic sentence that shows there are 2 main causes

- Cause of problem 1:

+ Explanation & Compulsory Evidence:

Drinking alcohol is one of the cultural beauties on the Vietnamese table. Cultural
beauty is reflected in the way of pouring wine, the way of raising a glass for
moisture... Wine glasses are sipped with stories, sharing feelings, and bonding
friendships. Especially during the festive days, the beauty in the way of wishing
each other wine. However, at some parties, some Vietnamese people tend to
force each other to drink, otherwise, drinking will be considered disrespectful to
each other. Alcohol is a hallucinogen on the nervous system, causing the nervous
system to lose its autonomy, and lose the ability to navigate. Alcohol is beverages
containing ethanol alcohol with different concentrations such as beer containing
about 5% alcohol, wine containing about 9-16% alcohol, and spirits containing
more than 20% alcohol. Ethanol is the ingredient that will cause the main harm
when we drink alcohol. (VINMEC, n.d.) When the driver of a vehicle uses alcohol,
and alcohol content in alcohol, the impact on the nerves easily causes the driver
of the vehicle to lose the ability to orient, and control movement, and cause an
accident.
- Cause of problem 2:
Not only does alcohol contain histamine, but it also prompts your immune system
to make more of these chemicals. This increases the inflammatory response
throughout the drinker's body. The chemical composition of alcohol includes
Water, ethanol, and other impurities. Impurities include higher alcohol, and toxins
such as methanol, aldehydes, and furfurol.... harmful to the human body. Once in
the body, this chemical is transformed into a migraine trigger. Ethanol is also a
substance that causes nausea, vomiting, headache, dizziness and tremors,
hypothermia, hypoglycemia, stupor, coma, cardiomyopathy respiratory failure,
hypotension or hypertension, and bradycardia. In addition, when consumers drink
alcohol-containing high concentrations of methanol, it leads to alcohol poisoning.
Because Methanol is a low-toxic substance. However, after being introduced into
the body, methanol is oxidized to form formaldehyde. This substance is then
further oxidized to form formic acid - and acid, the main component of ant
venom. It is formic acid that is considered the culprit in cases of methanol
poisoning. Finally, formic acid is converted into CO2 and water. These two
substances are excreted by the lungs and kidneys. Oxidation occurs rapidly,
causing formic acid to accumulate in the serum and be toxic. The accumulation of
formic acid in serum causes metabolic acidosis. The metabolism of methanol and
the accumulation of formic acid in the retina cause retinal damage, and damage
to the optic nerve, leading to blindness. Formic acid also causes brain damage,
which can lead to death. https://www.vinmec.com/vi/tin-tuc/thong-tin-suc-
khoe/vi-sao-ruou-methanol-co-gay-ngo-doc/

3.3 TEMPORARY SOLUTIONS BY THE GOVERNMENT

Topic sentence that introduce the solutions by the government

- Solution 1:
+ Evidence of its aim and operation:
After each traffic accident, it leaves pain, a terrifying obsession, and an
inconsolable day. In fact, the Vietnamese government has quite adequate and
strict sanctions against those who use alcohol when participating in traffic. For
drivers whose blood or breath alcohol content exceeds 50-80 milligrams per 100
milliliters of blood or exceeds 0.25 milligrams to 0.4 milligrams per liter of
breathing gas, the penalty will be 16 to 18 million and be deprived of the right to
use a driver's license for 16 to 18 months. In the case of persons who do not
comply with the requirements for alcohol testing of the person on duty and
driving a vehicle on the road, the blood or breath alcohol content exceeds 80
milligrams per 100 milliliters of blood or exceeds 0.4 milligrams per liter of
breathing gas, a fine of up to 30 to 40 million will be used and deprived of the
right to use it. driver's license from 22 to 24 months. Pursuant to Clause 1, Article
260 of the 2015 Penal Code, amended and supplemented in 2017, when
participating in traffic causing an accident that kills 1 person, a fine of 30-100
million VND will be imposed, a non-custodial rehabilitation fine of up to 3 years or
imprisonment from 1 to 5 years. Killing 3 or more people carries a prison sentence
of 7 to 15 years. https://www.qdnd.vn/cung-ban-luan/ruou-va-tai-nan-giao-
thong-696764
https://vov.vn/phap-luat/tu-van-luat/cac-muc-phat-voi-loi-uong-ruou-bia-khi-
tham-gia-giao-thong-post922133.vov
https://luat24h.com.vn/khung-hinh-phat-gay-tai-nan-giao-thong-chet-
nguoi#:~:text=th%C3%B4ng%20ch%E1%BA%BFt%20ng%C6%B0%E1%BB%9Di-,M
%E1%BB%A9c%20ph%E1%BA%A1t%20khi%20g%C3%A2y%20tai%20n%E1%BA
%A1n%20giao%20th%C3%B4ng%20ch%E1%BA%BFt%20ng%C6%B0%E1%BB
%9Di,n%C4%83m%20cho%20%C4%91%E1%BA%BFn%2015%20n%C4%83m.
- Solution 2:
+ Evidence of its and operation:
In order to prevent and combat the harmful effects of alcohol and beer, the State
shall set policies to reduce the consumption of alcohol and beer; manage the
supply of alcohol and beer; measures to reduce the harmful effects of alcohol and
beer; conditions to ensure the prevention and control of harmful effects of
alcohol and beer. This policy is specified in Article 3 of the Law on Prevention and
Control of Harmful Effects of Alcohol No. 44/2019/QH14 dated June 14, 06, 2019.
At the same time, there are programs to educate people about the harmful
effects of alcohol on human health. It should go hand in hand with the
implementation to limit people's use of alcohol The government proposes to
increase the SST rate for these items as follows: For alcohol: Alcohol from 20
degrees or more increases from a tax rate of 50% to a tax rate of 65% (an increase
of 15%); alcohol below 20 degrees applies a tax rate of 35% (an increase of 10%).
For beer: from 01/07/2015 increased from 50% to 55%; from 01/01/2017
increased to 60%; from January 1, 2018, increased to 65%. The reason for this
decision is that the abuse of alcohol and beer has caused harm to people's health,
in addition to being one of the causes of many other social problems such as
social disorder and safety and traffic accidents.
https://mof.gov.vn/webcenter/portal/btcvn/pages_r/l/tin-bo-tai-chinh?
dDocName=BTC316482
 4. EVALUATION

- Strengths: thiếu số liệu, giảm số liệu ng mua rượu

(Compulsory research evidence?)
According to Ms. Tran Thi Trang, WHO assessed that Vietnam's Law on
Prevention and Control of Harmful Effects of Alcohol and Beer has many new
points for other countries to refer to both the process of lobbying for the Law as
well as the contents in the Law. The law on the prevention and control of alcohol
harms represents comprehensiveness in all aspects in terms of resources and
overall measures to reduce available consumption; reduce accessibility to control
the source of alcohol consumption and reduce the harmful effects of alcohol. The
point of progress of the Law is the prohibition on drivers of vehicles with alcohol
content in their blood or breath. Meanwhile, in some other countries in Europe,
there are still regulations for the threshold ranging from 0.2 to 0.5 mg/liter of
breathing gas for drivers of vehicles. From now to 2025, the Hanoi Department of
Health aims to reduce the rate of harmful drinking in men aged 18 and over to less
than 35%, and in people, 13-17 years old to less than 20%. At least 50% of people
aged 18 and older are screened and intervened to reduce harm to people at risk
from drinking alcohol and beer. For a country with as many as 33 million
motorcycles like Vietnam, the regulation of blood alcohol and breath level zero
like Vietnam is a very strong regulation. I believe that the policies of the
Vietnamese government will greatly reduce alcohol users when participating in
traffic.
https://tienphong.vn/diem-manh-va-thach-thuc-cua-luat-phong-chong-tac-hai-
cua-ruou-bia-post1158976.tpo

- Weaknesses:
(Compulsory research evidence?)
Despite deterrence policies, the issue of alcohol restriction in Vietnam
remains a major challenge. According to Ms. Tran Thi Trang, about 80% of
people use alcohol in the past 30 days. When it has become a long-standing
habit, it is very difficult to change the behavior of using alcohol and beer.
Therefore, the measures to be able to implement the law effectively are that
we must communicate strongly so that people understand and change their
behavior. Especially difficult in that, currently, people are mostly aware of
the harmful effects of alcohol use, the provisions of the law to use alcohol,
 and the regulations on not using alcohol when participating in traffic ... But
switching to behavior change is difficult. Besides, in Vietnam, there are no
restrictions on points of sale to limit the availability of alcohol. According to
the Law, the new advertising regulations regulate to a certain extent, so it is
too easy to access alcohol. The law leaves open the regulation of advertising
in cyberspace, making the Law somewhat lose its strictness. Because
currently, the percentage of consumers who choose the Internet to buy and
sell is very large, while alcohol ads are now advertised by places with many
new forms, alcohol is sold online across borders, through time ... Besides,
unlike the Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms, the Law on
Prevention and Control of Harmful Effects of Alcohol and Beer does not
have funds to operate. In order to change habits, and turn perceptions into
specific behaviors, in addition to propaganda, the inspection and
examination of the Law regulations are very important, requiring resources.
But in the context that state agencies are streamlining staffing, inspection
forces, and market management, People's Committees at all levels still have
certain difficulties in arranging resources in new areas.

https://tienphong.vn/diem-manh-va-thach-thuc-cua-luat-phong-chong-tac-hai-
cua-ruou-bia-post1158976.tpo

5. CONCLUSION
In summary, the report addressed the problem of alcohol in Viet Nam, its causes, and government
solutions and evaluated the solutions. The above study talked about traffic accidents caused by alcohol
and the impact of alcohol on health and policies of the Vietnamese government regarding the use of
alcohol in traffic and propaganda about the harmful effects of alcohol on health. Currently, the purchase
and sale of alcohol in Vietnam are still easy and open to advertising regulations in cyberspace, making
the Law somewhat lose its strictness. Because currently, the percentage of consumers who choose the
Internet to buy and sell is very large, while alcohol ads are now advertised by places with many new
forms, alcohol is sold online across borders, through time ... Therefore, the government should have
deterrent policies to reduce beer consumption in Vietnam to avoid health problems and avoid causing
traffic accidents when using alcohol. I believe that the deterrence policies of the Vietnamese
government, will solve the problem of reducing health problems when using alcohol and reducing traffic
accidents caused by alcohol use.