The Impoverishing Effect of Tobacco Use in Viet Nam (Report)

This Report was written by the Development and Policies Research Center in Viet Nam. The report assesses the impoverishing effect of smoking on households in the country using data from the 2018 Viet Nam Household Living Standards Survey. The researchers find that spending on tobacco and tobacco-related medical care increased the number of people living in poverty in Viet Nam by 305,090, including 117,785 children. This represents an increase in the poverty rate by 0.31 percentage points and a 0.08% increase in the poverty gap. The impact that tobacco consumption has on households varies across different groups, and is concentrated among rural populations, ethnic minorities, and the lowest income quintile. Based on these findings, the report makes policy recommendations to reduce tobacco use in order to address poverty across Viet Nam and especially among marginalized populations.

A Policy Brief based on the report can be found here.