100% of the National Assembly Standing Committee's opinions agree to absolutely ban alcohol concentration for drivers.

On the morning of March 15, the National Assembly Standing Committee discussed the reception and revision of the draft Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety.

The issue of alcohol concentration ban received comments from all four members of the National Assembly Standing Committee speaking this morning.

All four opinions expressed agreement on the absolute ban on alcohol concentration for drivers.

Absolute prohibition of alcohol concentration is an inherited regulation.

Head of the Delegation Working Committee Nguyen Thi Thanh expressed agreement with the plan to absolutely ban drivers with alcohol concentration.

According to Ms. Thanh, over time, this prohibition has been implemented in life, has been widely accepted by the people, and is forming a culture of not driving after drinking alcohol.

At the same time, reduce traffic accidents caused by drinking alcohol.

She also cited figures showing that the ban has helped reduce traffic accidents, deaths and injuries due to alcohol use.

Besides, this ban also gradually reduces the direct harm of alcohol to about 30 dangerous diseases, and indirectly to 150 other diseases.

Sharing the same view, Chairwoman of the Social Committee Nguyen Thuy Anh said that the National Assembly and the Standing Committee of the 14th National Assembly also had great difficulty in regulating the alcohol concentration ban for drivers in the Law on Prevention and Control of Alcohol Harm in 2019.

She said that when the 14th National Assembly asked for opinions on the content of banning alcohol concentration in the Law on Prevention and Control of Alcohol Harm, at first both options did not reach 50%.

Then, with a very convincing explanation from the Standing Committee of the National Assembly at that time, the National Assembly agreed to pass the law, and the regulation prohibiting alcohol concentration for drivers received the agreement of 74% of the total number of National Assembly delegates.

Therefore, she earnestly chose the option of absolutely banning alcohol concentration to inherit the Law on Prevention and Control of Alcohol Harm.

"I would like to add that the Law on Prevention and Control of Alcohol Harm has added a provision that seems to be the subject of the Road Traffic Law to limit the harmful effects of alcohol, which has been agreed upon by nearly 3/4 of the 14th National Assembly delegates and has actually worked very well.

Therefore, there is no reason for us to discuss and adjust traffic safety but remove the very effective regulation in the Law on Prevention and Control of Alcohol Harm," Ms. Thuy Anh stated.

Need to clarify further arguments and scientific basis for the ban

Giving his opinion later, Chairman of the Law Committee Hoang Thanh Tung also agreed with the plan to absolutely ban alcohol concentration for drivers.

However, he suggested that the report on the acceptance and explanation submitted to the National Assembly should clarify further the arguments about this regulation. Specifically, clarify the scientific basis for this regulation.

He said this is a matter of concern for many people and needs to be clarified. In addition, the issue of endogenous alcohol concentration is also being discussed a lot on social networks, so there needs to be a convincing explanation to argue for the ban. Along with that, international experience needs to be clearly stated.

The Chairman of the Law Committee suggested that there should not be two types of opinions in the report explaining and accepting the National Assembly, but it can be said that the majority of opinions agree with the opinion of banning alcohol concentration for the reasons and there are some other opinions. This is so that the National Assembly can discuss and give opinions.

"The current implementation has gradually formed a very good culture, greatly limiting the harm caused by alcohol," Mr. Tung added.

Chairwoman of the Judicial Committee Le Thi Nga also pointed out that the Law on Prevention and Control of Alcohol Harm is currently prohibiting it and that the practical application is gradually forming the initial culture of non-drinking traffic. Therefore, she agrees with the ban.

Concluding this content, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Tran Quang Phuong suggested continuing to clarify the advantages and limitations of the proposed two options for regulating alcohol concentration.

However, according to Mr. Phuong, in today's discussion, 100% of the opinions of the members of the National Assembly Standing Committee agreed with the plan to ban alcohol concentration.

It is even suggested that in the report on acceptance and explanation sent to the National Assembly, it should be stated that the majority agrees with the ban plan, inheriting the Law on Prevention and Control of Alcohol Harm, some opinions suggest that research is needed to ensure scientific nature and international experience...

From there, it is necessary to design a report explaining the scientific reception, specifically the solid foundations and facts.