Not long ago, a fatal traffic accident occurred. At approximately 2:10 a.m. on April 30, 2025, a serious collision between two cars took place at Km 85+200 on National Highway 279 in Hamlet C9, Thanh Xương commune (now Mường Thanh ward). The crash claimed the life of Lê Văn K. (born 1987), a resident of Pá Luống hamlet, Thanh Xương commune. Both vehicles were heavily damaged, with estimated losses of around VND 110 million.

The driver of the vehicle with license plate 27A-074.93 fled the scene. At 10 a.m. the same day, Phạm Duy Tuấn Đạt (born 1998), residing in Residential Group No.4, former Nam Thanh ward, reported to the provincial Traffic Police Office. Breath alcohol testing showed that Phạm Duy Tuấn Đạt had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.230mg/L.

Earlier, around 2 a.m. on January 11, 2025, a chain-reaction crash involving four vehicles occurred in Residential Group No.9, Tân Thanh ward (now Điện Biên Phủ ward). A truck with license plate 89H-018.02, driven by Nguyễn Văn M. (born 1995, resident of Điện Biên Phủ ward), crashed into three parked cars along the street and sidewalk. The strong impact trapped a passenger in the truck’s cabin and severely damaged several vehicles, with total losses estimated at VND 200 million. Testing revealed the driver’s breath alcohol level was 0.974 mg/L - an extremely dangerous level while operating a vehicle.

According to the provincial traffic police, in the first half of 2025, there were 45 traffic accidents in the province, 7 of which were directly related to alcohol consumption. These resulted in 2 deaths and 9 injuries.

Beyond tragic crashes, alcohol, especially when consumed excessively or from unknown sources, poses direct threats to life. For instance, in May 2023, the provincial General Hospital received three alcohol poisoning cases, one of which resulted in death. On May 1, 2023, during a family gathering at Lò Văn D.’s home in Bua hamlet, Mường Phăng commune, three men (Lò Văn D., Cà Văn Ng., and Lường Văn Y.) drank rice wine infused with a banded krait (a highly venomous snake). By 3 p.m., all three showed signs of cyanosis and unresponsiveness. They were taken to the Mường Phăng Health Station and later transferred to the provincial General Hospital. Lường Văn Y. and Cà Văn Ng. were treated in time, but Lò Văn D. died before receiving full hospital care.

Dr. Hồ Duy Khánh of the Intensive Care and Poison Control Unit at the provincial General Hospital shared: “We frequently treat alcohol poisoning cases, ranging from altered consciousness and seizures to coma, respiratory failure, and shock. Even regular alcohol, if consumed excessively in a short time, can raise blood alcohol levels beyond safe limits, leading to metabolic disorders, liver and central nervous system damage, or even death.”

Besides its health risks, alcohol is also a root cause of many societal problems such as domestic violence, crime, and disturbances to public order. Many fights, assaults, and even murders have stemmed from drunken arguments. Countless families have broken apart, with children psychologically affected or falling behind in school due to fathers who are alcohol-dependent and abusive when drunk.

To control and reduce the harm caused by alcohol, the health sector has worked with other authorities to strengthen education campaigns and law enforcement. Inspections have been carried out at alcohol-producing businesses, restaurants, and food establishments. The Health Department has warned the public not to consume industrial alcohol or any beverage with methanol levels exceeding 0.1%, as it can cause blindness or death. People are also advised not to drink more than 30 ml/day of alcohol with concentrations above 300, and to avoid homemade infusions with unknown herbs, animal organs, or based on unverified folk recipes. Importantly, one should never drink un-labelled or unregulated alcohol, or drink when hungry, tired, or taking medication.

Dr. Hồ Duy Khánh emphasized: “Beyond government control, the most crucial factor is each individual’s awareness and drinking habits. There is no truly safe threshold for alcohol, but if consumed, men should limit intake to no more than two standard drinks per day, and women to one. Changing attitudes, drinking in moderation, and staying away from unregulated alcohol is the simplest and most effective way to protect personal and public health.”