ASSOCIATION SPENDS 5 MILLION DRAMS TO FIND OUT HOW MANY MINIBUS DRIVERS SMOKE WHILE DRIVING

Armenpress
Sept 07 2006

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS: The Armenian Medical Association
has spent 5 million drams to carry out a three-month long program to
monitor the application of the anti-tobacco law in public transport
and raise the population’s awareness about smoking risks.

Some 2.3 million drams of this money were a presidential grant given
to the Association as the winner of a competition announced to choose
an organization to carry out the program. The other 2.7 million drams
were the Association’s input.

Parunak Zelveyan, the president of the Association, told a news
conference today that the survey found that 5 of 10 minibus drivers
defy the requirements of the anti-tobacco law by smoking while
driving. He said some 500 passengers and 100 drivers were covered by
the survey that also found that out of 100 drivers 77 are smokers.

Only 23 percent of drivers put out their cigarettes when passengers ask
them to do so and only 42 percent of drivers knew that the law forbids
their smoking when driving, while 21 percent never heard of the law.

Of passengers only 34 percent knew about the law.

Almost 95 percent of male and 84 percent of female passengers spoke
against drivers’ smoking while driving. They said they never rebuke
drivers for smoking just to avoid conflicting situations.

Zelveyan said after the end of the program chief managers of companies
running minibuses were invited for a consultation but only one turned
out. When asked by telephone the managers said they forbid their
drivers to smoke while driving.

Zelveyan said a sub-law envisaging a punishment for smoking drivers
should be developed and applied, but he did not elaborate what kind
of measure could be applied.