On the afternoon of November 24, under the chairmanship of National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue, the National Assembly discussed in the hall the draft Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety. The content of the absolute prohibition of driving with alcohol concentration in the body, the regulation of alcohol concentration ratio of “0” received many comments from National Assembly deputies.

Delegate Le Huu Tri (Khanh Hoa delegation) said that the Government has given a reasonable explanation for the regulation that absolutely prohibits drivers from participating in traffic with alcohol in their blood or breath.

Accordingly, this regulation aims to ensure the health and lives of traffic participants and minimize major traffic accidents.

In fact, drastic handling of violations related to alcohol concentration has a certain positive effect on changing the law-abiding awareness of traffic participants, limiting traffic accidents.

However, Mr. Tri said that this regulation is also somewhat inappropriate from the perspective of culture, living habits of Vietnamese people, as well as biological perspective... Therefore, the delegate suggested that it is necessary to carefully and thoroughly research and evaluate this regulation on the basis of ensuring practical requirements, scientific bases, and ensuring feasibility.

Delegate To Van Tam (Kon Tum delegation) said that when meeting with voters and people, they were very concerned about this regulation.

"They suggested that they agree to punish, but drinking alcohol must reach a certain level before being punished. In reality, alcohol and alcohol concentration are only harmful when consumed in excess, and are not dangerous when not consumed in excess. Therefore, voters suggested that it should be banned at a certain level, not an absolute ban," Mr. Tam said.

Delegate Trinh Minh Binh (Vinh Long delegation) also expressed the opinion that there should not be absolute and rigid regulations, but should be regulated as in the current 2008 Road Traffic Law, meaning that there is a certain limit on alcohol concentration in blood and breath, and only when exceeding that limit will there be a fine.

He added that a person who drinks a glass of grape juice soaked in sugar to digest food, or takes medicine, will still have an alcohol concentration exceeding 0, and will still be punished when participating in traffic even though he has not consumed alcohol. According to Mr. Binh, such a regulation is unreasonable, will lead to disputes between parties when blowing the alcohol concentration and in reality, there are many cases that occur.

Speaking at the debate in the hall, delegate Be Trung Anh (Tra Vinh delegation) expressed his opinion on the concerns of some delegates about whether or not it is allowed to have alcohol concentration when participating in traffic?

Mr. Trung Anh believes that we want to control behavioral capacity, while alcohol is just one of the factors. And only when drinking too much alcohol will affect behavioral capacity, but if we stop at the level of "tasting wine", it probably won't have any effect.

Accordingly, Mr. Be Trung Anh said that it is necessary to distinguish between controlling behavioral capacity and using alcohol or not using alcohol.

"Some delegates also proposed not to completely ban alcohol concentration. I think the story here is that we only have problems with behavioral capacity and factors affecting behavioral capacity. If we want to control factors affecting behavioral capacity, it is not only alcohol but also cocaine and many other things. There are even people walking on the street, just thinking about their wife makes their heart beat faster, their legs tremble and they cannot control the car," said delegate Trung Anh .