The amendment of one article of the relevant law would protect more children and teens from the influence of tobacco products. The law that bans the display of tobacco products on shelves in shops will take effect in Moldova only in 2020. The delay was authorized by lawmakers under the pressure of cigarette producers, considers Ghenadie Turcanu, programs coordinator at the Center for Health Policies and Studies (PAS). In a news conference at IPN, the expert said that if the law is modified and comes into force earlier, the work of inspectors will be eased, human and administrative resources will be saved and the children will be protected from advertisements for tobacco products.

The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control to which Moldova is a party bans the advertising, promotion and sponsorship of events by tobacco producers, including access to tobacco products on the shelves of retail outlets. Ghenadie Turcanu said the Moldovan legislation now does not meet the provisions of the Convention it joined.

The moratorium on state inspections was an example by which the state pursued policies that ran against the legislation on tobacco control. During the moratorium, the State Public Health Surveillance Service didn’t monitor to see if business entities placed the poster showing that the sale of cigarettes to minors is banned and informing about the fine for the violation of the legislation.

A study shows that cigarettes are sold in 60% of the retail outlets located within 250 meters of primary and secondary schools in Chisinau and Balti municipality. In the data collection period in July 2016, advertisements for tobacco products, such as cigarette lighters with the brand on them, which is banned by the legislation, were identified in 14% places. The study was conducted by the Institute for Global Tobacco Control of the Bloomberg School of Public Health, while the data were collected by the Association of Medical Students and Residents.