A group of activists staged a protest in front of the Parliaments Building, demanding increasing taxes on tobacco and adopting the anti-smoking law in the new version, IPN reports.

“We want new warnings, with pictograms, which would ban smoking in closed and open places. There must be instituted counseling services for giving up smoking, while promotion of tobacco products and sponsorship by tobacco producers of different social events must be banned,” said Ion Salaru, vice director of the National Public Health Center.

This year, the World No Tobacco Day marked on May 31 promotes the increase in cigarette taxes. On this occasion, medical students will distribute brochures and will stage consultative seminars. “The Government approved higher taxes, but then reduced them,” said student Ion Purice. “By setting low prices, we transform the cigarettes into a social product and encourage the poor to buy them,” said activist Viorica Tataru.

The organizers of the protest said society must exert pressure so that the lawmakers adopt the changes to the Law on Tobacco Control. According to the National Public Health Center, almost 50% of men and 8.2% of women smoke in Moldova.