Vietnam says no more drinking scenes in movies

Cinemas will only show actors drinking if they are playing historical characters or acting in scenes that criticize alcohol addiction, Decree 24, which took effect on Monday to guide several provisions of the Law on Preventing Alcohol's Harmful Effects, lays down.

Movies are not allowed to admire or praise individuals and organizations achieving success by producing alcohol or doing any business related to alcohol.

In June last year lawmakers approved time restrictions for advertising liquor on television and radio. According to the decree, advertisements for alcoholic drinks will be banned from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and immediately before and after and during children’s programs.

Decree 24 relaxes it slightly and permits beverages with alcohol content of under 5.5 percent and made by sponsors of regional, continental or global sporting events held in Vietnam to be advertised between 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Producers of drinks with less than 15 percent alcohol must add warnings saying drinking alcohol can lead to traffic accidents, affected the fetus and those under 18 are not allowed to drink under the law.

If an advertisement appears on TV or radio, the warning must be read out aloud at a speed equivalent to that of other content.

If it is advertised on a website, social media or print publications, the warning must make up at least 10 percent of the advertisement’s content and be in a color that makes it easy to read.

A ban on advertising hard liquor has been in place for long.

The new drunk driving law, which came into effect on January 1, doubled existing fines and revokes driving licenses for up to two years.

There are fines for the first time for cyclists and electric bicycle riders, and anyone caught driving under the influence will have to pay VND400,000-600,000 ($17-26).

Motorcyclists and car drivers could be fined VND6-8 million and VND30-40 million (VND1,730) and lose their licenses for 22-24 months.

The country consumed some 4.6 billion liters of beer in 2019 after rising 10 percent from 2018, but growth could fall to 6-7 percent this year due to the tough new penalties, top brokerage SSI Securities Corporation (SSI) said last month.