Dinh Thi Thu Thuy Named 2025 Recipient of the Judy Wilkenfeld Award for International Tobacco Control Excellence
May 30, 2025
Washington, D.C. – The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids has named Ms. Dinh Thi Thu Thuy, Deputy Director of the Department of Legislation at Viet Nam’s Ministry of Health, as the recipient of the 2025 Judy Wilkenfeld Award for International Tobacco Control Excellence for her leadership in the fight against tobacco use.
This award is given annually to an international tobacco control advocate who has made exceptional contributions to reducing tobacco use through policy advocacy and who serves as an inspiration to others working in global tobacco control. The award commemorates the legacy of Judy Wilkenfeld, a pivotal force in the development of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), the first international treaty dedicated to public health.
Ms. Thuy Dinh is a respected leader in Viet Nam’s tobacco control movement, recognized for her strategic vison, legal expertise and unwavering commitment to public health. Her efforts have significantly advanced the implementation of Article 5.3 of the WHO FCTC which protects health policy from tobacco industry interference. She has been instrumental in strengthening smoke-free regulations and expanding graphic health warnings on tobacco packaging.
In 2024, Ms. Thuy Dinh played a leadership role in the unanimously passed resolution which banned the production, trade, import and use of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products. This resolution is a significant victory for public health and will prevent youth use of these harmful and addictive products, which are often sold in kid-friendly flavors and threaten to undermine progress in reducing tobacco use.
Viet Nam became the sixth member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to take such decisive action. Ms. Thuy Dinh’s efforts reflect a bold and timely response to one of today’s most pressing public health challenges: the growing appeal of nicotine and tobacco products among young people.
This recognition of Ms. Thuy’s work comes as the global community observes World No Tobacco Day, theme “Unmasking the Appeal: Exposing Industry Tactics on Tobacco and Nicotine Products.” This year’s theme calls attention to how tobacco companies manipulate product design, marketing, and digital media to make their products appealing—particularly to children and adolescents.
In addition to her work on these products, Ms. Thuy is leading the national effort to revise and strengthen Viet Nam’s 2013 tobacco control regulations, including reforms to improve smoke-free policies, enhance warning labels, and increase tobacco taxation—one of the most powerful tools for reducing tobacco use.
“I am confident that in the future, Viet Nam’s coordination with CTFK will continue to contribute to the implementation of Viet Nam's national strategy on tobacco control and to a tobacco-free future for generations to come in Viet Nam,” Ms. Thuy said.
Ms. Thuy’s award underscores the importance of persistent and principled leadership in protecting youth from the tobacco industry’s evolving tactics. Her achievements reinforce the urgent need for strong, enforceable policies that expose and counter the industry's efforts to addict new generations.