Authorities promise to ratify WHO Convention on Tobacco Control

The authorities have heard the civil society’s appeal to ratify before May 31 - World No Tobacco Day - the Framework Convention of the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Tobacco Control. MP Valentina Stratan-Golban, member of the Parliamentary Commission for social protection, health and family stated Wednesday, as part of the Investigative Journalists Club’s meeting themed “Environment without tobacco – journalists against tobacco”, that the ratification of WHO Convention on Tobacco Control will be included on the agenda of one of the future sittings of the Parliament. Though the respective document was signed by Moldova in June 2004, the Parliament has delayed its ratification. According to the Coalition’s members, the ratification will be an incentive to implement other aspects as regards the fight against smoking: to enact comprehensive bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship, to print warnings on the packs of cigarettes regarding the damage of smoking, to interdict smoking at work, to combat smuggling of tobacco goods, to regulate the setting up of prices of cigarettes, to initiate national programmes in this field etc. Varfolomei Calmac, senior specialist in education for healthy life promotion of the National Scientific-Practical Centre for Preventive Medicine stated that in the last few years an alarming number of smokers, including women and young people, have been recorded in Moldova. If in 98’-99’, the number of smoking men stood at about 44% of the total, at present this index reached about 67%. At the same time, 9% of women are smoking. Calmac also expressed his concern about the large number of smoking students. Referring to the 13-15 age category, Calmac said that one in four boys and one in ten girls are smoking, a phenomenon favoured by free access to cigarette booths, in particular nearby the schools. In the same context, chief-doctor of the Medical Assistance Clinic Ala Nemerenco, stressed the importance of levying a tax on sales of cigarettes, which could increase by 10% the price of a pack of cigarettes. In many countries, this money is directed to the health care system and used for different health programmes for smokers. According to her, in many developed countries, after introducing this tax, it was attested a 4% decrease in the number of smokers, while in transition countries - 8%. Nemerenco asserts that, on the one hand, it could be influenced the rate of smokers, and on the other hand, it will be possible to attract certain sums of money that could be invested in the health care system, especially for treatment of those suffering because of smoking. Annually, 7,000 persons die in Moldova due to different diseases caused by smoking. 41,000 persons, of whom 40% are suffering from lung cancer, which in a proportion of 90% is caused by smoking, are under medical supervision. The NGO Coalition for promoting tobacco control policies has recently staged a protest to raise awareness of the general public and decision makers about the non-observance in Moldova of the provisions of the Tobacco Law and the necessity of ratifying the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control by the Parliament.