STANDARD MECHANISMS OF TOBACCO ADDICTION TREATMENT TO BE WORKED OUT IN ARMENIA
Noyan Tapan
Mar 05 2007
YEREVAN, MARCH 5, NOYAN TAPAN. Armenia recently presented the first
national report on implementation of the World Health Organization’s
Frame Concention on Fight against Smoking, which took effect
in the country in 2005. Alexandr Bazarchian, coordinator of the
Antismoking Program of the RA Ministry of Health, told this to NT
correspondent. According to him, the report contains respective
legislative amendments, as well as information about the work
implemented and to be done.
He said that in particular, cigarette advertising will gradually
stop in the next 5 years, while starting from 2008, the warning
about danger of smoking to human health will cover no less than 30%
of packs of cigarettes produced in Armenia. Besides, the report
contains statistical data on tobacco addiction in Armenia. According
to this data, 28.5% of the country’s population are smokers. 60% of
men and 2.7% of women are smokers. In 1998, these indices made 31%,
63% and 1.5% respectively.
The difference in the number of smoker and non-smoker women in Yerevan
and marzes is quite big. In Yerevan, smokers make up 5% among women
aged 25-34, 6% among women aged 35-44, and 9% – among women aged 55-64,
while in Armenian marzes these indices make 0.5%, 1.5% and 3%.
A. Bazarchian said that it is envisaged to work out standard mechanisms
of tobacco addiction treatment in the country. New registration forms
will be used at hospitals with the aim of determining the impact of
smoking on such diseases as lung cancer and heart attack. That is,
in registering a new case of the above mentioned diseases, it must be
indicated in the form if the given patient is a smoker or non-smoker,
how long he/she has been a smoker, etc.