Lao Cai builds smoke-free offices

Green, clean, beautiful office

At the Department of Natural Resources and Environment (TN&MT) of Lao Cai province, every weekend afternoon, all officers and employees of the department clean their offices, take care of and water the plants in the entire area of the department. All offices have potted plants and "no smoking" signs.

Mr. Vu Dinh Thuy, Deputy Director of Lao Cai Department of Natural Resources and Environment, said: The agency has 46/81 male officers and employees. Since 2015, implementing the directive of Lao Cai province on managing civil servants and rectifying discipline, the Department's Trade Union has coordinated with the Youth Union to launch the movement "Building a civilized, green, clean, beautiful office" to build a smoke-free environment in the agency.

Lao Cai builds "Smoke-free office" to create a healthy working environment for staff and workers.

It has become a habit that every Friday afternoon, 100% of the agency's staff clean the office, such as: cleaning the hallways, balconies, and public restrooms; taking care of and adding green trees and fresh flowers. For the office, the agency encourages everyone to create their own green, clean, and beautiful working space with potted plants and fresh flowers. The agency has an inspection team; if officers and employees are found smoking, competition points will be deducted and fined. Although the number of male officers and employees is quite large, the regulation of not smoking in the workplace is strictly implemented.

At the headquarters of the People's Committee of Bao Thang district (Lao Cai), on the first and second floors of the building there is a separate area for smokers. The block of party, mass and government agencies of Bao Thang district has about 300 people, of which nearly 2/3 are men. Previously, almost every agency had smokers, but now there are only 1 or 2 people. In addition to propaganda, reminders, and hanging signs, there is also a team established here to regularly check public service activities, including no smoking.

In front of the offices of administrative units from province to district to commune in Lao Cai province, there are signs "No smoking".

At the headquarters of Bao Ha commune (Bao Yen), no smoking signs are hung in the offices. Sitting in a spacious room with cool green potted plants, Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Hung, Chairman of the Commune People's Committee, shared: to put the smoke-free office into order, the commune has deployed officials to sign a commitment not to smoke at work. Previously, many male officials of the commune smoked. Some smoked for nearly 30 years, their fingers were dark yellow from smoke. The office smelled so bad that many people could not stand it. However, now, the above situation no longer exists, almost no one in the office smokes. This change has occurred because the commune strictly implemented the regulation of no smoking in the office, the leaders set an example first, anyone who did not comply would be reminded and criticized.

Diversify forms of propaganda

With the aim of creating a green, smoke-free working environment as well as thoroughly implementing the Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms; recently, many agencies in Lao Cai province have developed and implemented specific plans with practical and effective methods. The agencies have included the content of no smoking in the workplace in their internal rules and regulations.

Lao Cai province currently has 56 affiliated unions with a total of 4,431 union members. It is known that every year, the content of building a smoke-free working environment is included in the criteria for union organizations to score and rank the year-end competition. Lao Cai Provincial Federation of Labor has printed and distributed leaflets, posters, and documents to affiliated units to widely propagate to union members.

Lao Cai province's civil servants and public employees always strictly follow the no-smoking policy at work.

Ms. Nguyen Thu Phuong, Chairwoman of Lao Cai Provincial Civil Servants' Union, said: The grassroots unions have many forms of integrated propaganda. Many units have combined propaganda on tobacco harm prevention with fire and explosion prevention to all cadres, civil servants, public employees, and workers. Some typical units include the unions of agencies: Provincial People's Procuracy, Department of Home Affairs, Provincial Fatherland Front Committee, Provincial Party Committee's Mass Mobilization Committee, etc.

At the Lao Cai Health Sector, 100% of the affiliated grassroots unions have signed a commitment to build a smoke-free environment, with close supervision from departments, offices, and centers. At Lao Cai General Hospital, in addition to patient care, the unit also distributes leaflets to patients, and departments hang many billboards and pictures about the harmful effects of smoking, considering it a message, a reminder, and a warning to patients and their families.

According to the report, through propaganda, inspection, supervision, and emulation scoring criteria, in recent years, the rate of smokers in public offices in Lao Cai province has decreased sharply. The awareness of officials, civil servants, public employees, and workers about the harmful effects of tobacco has increased. As a result, more and more green, smoke-free office models have appeared, contributing to building a civilized and safe working environment.

In front of the main entrance of Lao Cai Ward People's Committee, Lao Cai City, a "No smoking" sign is hung to remind officials and people when coming to work at the office.

In reality, maintaining the model of "Smoke-free office" creates a green, clean, and beautiful working environment, demonstrating the awareness of compliance with the provisions of the law on tobacco harm prevention and control of each cadre, civil servant, employee, and worker, protecting the health of those around them. On the other hand, working in a smoke-free environment also helps smokers have more determination to quit or reduce the level of smoking. This is also the motivation for agencies and units to continue promoting the propaganda of the Law on Tobacco Harm Prevention and Control to cadres, civil servants, employees, and workers; promoting the role and responsibility of leaders. There is a mechanism to promptly reward collectives and individuals who do well in tobacco harm prevention and control activities, and at the same time handle violations.

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