Armenian health ministry finalizes drawing up of anti-smoking legislation
24.08.2018,
16:11
A bill drafted by Armenia’s ministry of health that would introduce an extensive ban on smoking in cafes, restaurants and other public places and impose heavy fines on people violating the law has been finalized, deputy minister of health Lena Nanushyan said on Friday.
YEREVAN, August 24. /ARKA/. A bill drafted by Armenia’s ministry of health that would introduce an extensive ban on smoking in cafes, restaurants and other public places and impose heavy fines on people violating the law has been finalized, deputy minister of health Lena Nanushyan said on Friday.
According to various estimates, around 60 percent of Armenia’s male population are regular smokers. The smoking rate among women is 3 percent. However, in the capital city Yerevan some 10 percent of women aged between 30 and 40 are smokers.
The move is part of a strategy to reduce the number of smokers as tobacco addiction is said to be the main cause of the country’s high incidence of lung cancer.
Speaking at a news conference today, the deputy minister said the number of new cases of respiratory, bronchial or lung cancer registered annually has grown by 800 over the last 5 years to 1,900.
She said the draft law, among other things, provides for the possibility of treatment from tobacco dependence, determines the size of fines for breach of the law and sets clear mechanisms for their use; it also increases the seize of warning labels on packets of cigarettes from 30% to 50%, as well as sets restrictions on the use of electronic cigarettes.
According to her, under the bill people caught smoking in cafes, bars, restaurants, government offices and other public places would be fined 50,000 drams ($103).
The penalty for violation of the tobacco advertisement is 800 thousand drams (about $1,656), up from current 500 thousand drams ($1,035); in case of repeated violation during one year it increases to 1 million drams ($2,070). She said the draft is expected to come into force in 2019 May.
Earlier, the representative of the World Health Organization in Armenia, Yegor Zaytsev,
said the most effective way to prevent dependence on nicotine was s to raise excise taxes on tobacco products, place warnings on packages about the dangers of smoking, introduce a complete ban on advertising of tobacco products, and eliminate the effects of second-hand tobacco smoke. --0--
According to various estimates, around 60 percent of Armenia’s male population are regular smokers. The smoking rate among women is 3 percent. However, in the capital city Yerevan some 10 percent of women aged between 30 and 40 are smokers.
The move is part of a strategy to reduce the number of smokers as tobacco addiction is said to be the main cause of the country’s high incidence of lung cancer.
Speaking at a news conference today, the deputy minister said the number of new cases of respiratory, bronchial or lung cancer registered annually has grown by 800 over the last 5 years to 1,900.
She said the draft law, among other things, provides for the possibility of treatment from tobacco dependence, determines the size of fines for breach of the law and sets clear mechanisms for their use; it also increases the seize of warning labels on packets of cigarettes from 30% to 50%, as well as sets restrictions on the use of electronic cigarettes.
According to her, under the bill people caught smoking in cafes, bars, restaurants, government offices and other public places would be fined 50,000 drams ($103).
The penalty for violation of the tobacco advertisement is 800 thousand drams (about $1,656), up from current 500 thousand drams ($1,035); in case of repeated violation during one year it increases to 1 million drams ($2,070). She said the draft is expected to come into force in 2019 May.
Earlier, the representative of the World Health Organization in Armenia, Yegor Zaytsev,
said the most effective way to prevent dependence on nicotine was s to raise excise taxes on tobacco products, place warnings on packages about the dangers of smoking, introduce a complete ban on advertising of tobacco products, and eliminate the effects of second-hand tobacco smoke. --0--
