Moldova lags behind in implementing anti-smoking measures

Tobacco this year will kill over 5 million smokers and over 600,000 passive smokers worldwide, the World Health Organization (WHO) projected on the World No Tobacco Day that is marked on May 31, Info-Prim Neo reports. Representatives of the Ministry of Health and the National Public Health Center Tuesday came together for a roundtable meeting in Chisinau to discuss the effects of smoking on the health and the implementation of programs designed to reduce the number of smokers. WHO Representative in Moldova Iarno Habicht said that even if Moldova ratified the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in 2003, it lags behind in implementing anti-smoking measures. “Cooperation in all the social areas is required in order to control tobacco. Political commitment is needed for implementing the Framework Convention,” he stated, adding that attendances at hotels, restaurants and other institutions in European countries increased after smoking there was banned. The WHO data for Moldova show that ¾ of the persons aged between 15 and 17 tried to smoke. Male smokers represent 51%. By this indicator, Moldova ranks fourth in Europe. Female smokers in urban areas constitute over 13%. Ion Salaru, first vice director of the National Public Health Center, said the national tobacco control plan for 2011-2016 is close to being drafted. It envisions the creation of an interministerial national council for tobacco control and coordination of intersector activities. There will be carried out awareness raising campaigns and studies of the consequences of smoking and published a treatment guide for smokers. The Government adopted two laws on the import and sale of tobacco and a law on public health in order to combat tobacco use. According to Ion Salaru, the content of tobacco products should be regulated and the excises and taxes on them should be increased so as to reduce tobacco use. The World No Tobacco Day was instituted by the World Health Organization in 1988.