More than 6,000 people die each year from tobacco consumption, the second most common risk factor for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). Svetlana Nicolaescu, state secretary at the Ministry of Health, spoke about this during an event dedicated to World No-Tobacco Day.

According to Svetlana Nicolaescu, the number of tobacco users in Moldova is still very high. A recent study revealed that three in ten Moldovans of adult age are current smokers and more than 26% consume tobacco products daily. In recent years, a reason for concern has been the increase in the use of heated tobacco products and electronic cigarettes among teenagers. In 2019, over 16% of young people used tobacco products, including heated.

Moldova has become a “perfect market” for the tobacco industry. This, Nicolaescu says, has to change, especially in a country that has a clear prospect of joining the EU.

Dan Perciun, chair of Parliament’s Committee on Social Protection, Health and Family, said that last year the legislature adopted several measures to reduce the share of smoking in Moldova, from banning flavors for heated tobacco products, to the application of the same regulations for other tobacco products. Although the legislation is quite good, he says, the implementation part leaves much to be desired. There is also a problem of internal smuggling, where cheaper tobacco products can be obtained from the market.

Alexandru Voloc, coordinator of health programs at the WHO Country Office in Moldova, noted that tobacco affects people’s health globally. It is a pandemic recognized as the greatest public health threat humanity has ever faced. The total economic cost of smoking is equal to about 2% of GDP globally.

The Republic of Moldova, as a country that is party to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products, continues to strengthen the legislative framework on tobacco control.