Vietnam’s Alcohol Policy Breakthrough
Alcohol Issues Special Edition Newsletter for Report Release
30 Years. One Landmark Law. A New Movendi International Report Documents Vietnam’s Alcohol Policy Journey
“Preventing Harm, Saving Lives” offers deep insights and six lessons for alcohol policy advocates, lawmakers, and decision-makers everywhere.
Movendi International today published “Preventing Harm, Saving Lives: Vietnam’s journey towards effective, comprehensive alcohol policy“. It is comprehensive account of how Vietnam achieved two historic alcohol policy milestones: the adoption of its first comprehensive Alcohol Harm Prevention Law in 2019, and landmark alcohol excise tax reform in 2025.
The report traces more than three decades of advocacy, coalition-building, and evidence-based policy work, documenting how civil society organisations, National Assembly and government health and development champions, and international partners worked together to deliver meaningful, life-saving change.
A public health transformation with immediate results
When Vietnam’s Alcohol Harm Prevention Law took effect on 1 January 2020, the results were immediate and striking.
In the first month alone, road crashes dropped by more than 50% compared to the same period in 2019. Deaths fell by almost 19% and injuries by 61%. Viet Duc Hospital in Hanoi, one of the country’s leading trauma centres, reported a sharp decline in alcohol-related injuries. People and communities across Vietnam benefited immediately from the implementation of the modern alcohol law.
These results made the law one of the most rapidly impactful public health measures in Vietnam’s recent history, and improved political support for its continued enforcement and expansion.
The law introduced a zero-tolerance rule to prevent and reduce alcohol-impaired driving, introduced a minimum legal purchase age, placed some common-sense limits on alcohol advertising, and established standards to ensure alcohol-free schools, hospitals, and other public places.
A second victory: the 2025 alcohol tax reform
In June 2025, Vietnam’s National Assembly approved a multi-year alcohol excise tax reform.
Raising alcohol taxes to reduce alcohol affordability is the single most cost-effective tool in alcohol policy. Alcohol taxes will rise from 65% to 90% by 2031 through annual 5-point increases, with the trajectory now locked into law. The reform also introduced a new excise tax on sugary drinks, marking Vietnam’s move towards a broader pro-health fiscal agenda.
Together, the modern 2019 alcohol law and the 2025 alcohol tax reform represent a comprehensive public health achievement built over decades of persistent, strategic policy development and advocacy.
Six lessons for advocates and decision-makers worldwide
The report identifies six key success factors that drove Vietnam’s alcohol policy progress. These are inspiring lessons for advocates and policymakers everywhere:
- A strong collaboration between parliament and government champions and civil society organisations.
- The systematic use of both local and international evidence.
- Connecting parliamentarians directly with communities affected by alcohol harm.
- Building the capacity to quickly and credibly counteract misinformation.
- Framing the issue through visible, relatable concerns, in Vietnam’s case particularly road safety, to build broad public and political support.
- Perseverance over many years, recognising that meaningful policy change requires sustained commitment, including to overcome alcohol industry interference, before it can be achieved
Commentary from Movendi International
Vietnam’s story is one of the most inspiring in global alcohol policy. It shows that when civil society, parliamentary champions, the health ministry, and international partners work together on modern alcohol policy that is rooted in independent scientific evidence and driven by the lived experiences of people harmed by the products and practices of alcohol companies we can achieve real, measurable improvements in people’s lives.
This report is our gift to advocates everywhere who are doing the same work.”
Kristina Sperkova, International President, Movendi International
We were witnessing how global alcohol corporations pushed into the country, how they drove up alcohol use and harm with it. We saw the will of the people in communities around the country to protect their families and society from alcohol harms.
What Vietnam achieved is the result of heart-driven work to build relationships and networks, gather evidence and learn from science, and never give up even when we experienced setbacks. The foundation we laid together, step by step over thirty years, is what made these victories possible.”
Esbjörn Hörnberg, Executive Director, Movendi International
About the report
“Preventing Harm, Saving Lives: Vietnam’s journey towards effective, comprehensive alcohol policy“ is authored by Pierre Andersson and edited by Maik Dünnbier. It is part of Movendi International’s Alcohol Policy Success Stories series, which documents how countries around the world have achieved meaningful alcohol policy reform. The full report is available at movendi.ngo.
About Movendi International
Movendi International is a global civil society organisation and the largest independent social movement for development through alcohol policy, with 140+ member organisations in 50+ countries. Movendi International unites, strengthens, and empowers civil society and partners with governments and UN agencies to tackle alcohol as a serious obstacle to development at the personal, community, societal, and global level.