ARMENPRESS

ARMENIANS STILL REMAIN THE HEAVIEST SMOKERS IN EUROPE

YEREVAN, MAY 11, ARMENPRESS: Public transport
drivers continue routinely violating anti-smoking
rules which came into effect two years ago. According
to findings of a non-governmental organization, called
Bazmaket (Dot), 28 percent of 454 respondents asked to
point out where these rules are breached more
frequently said in the public transport.
Twenty-seven percent said they are violated in
public places, while 17 percent believe that these
rules are breached everywhere.
The study was conducted on a grant donated by the
government as part of an anti-tobacco campaign. The
main objective of the study was to find out the
society’s attitude towards smoking.
Thus, 45 percent of 454 people questioned, were
smokers. Eighty-one percent of them were men.
Eighty-one percent of smokers began smoking before
they were 20 years old. Non-smoker women were 63
percent and 37 percent were men.
Some 33 percent were unaware of anti-smoking law,
56 percent said they knew about it, but they thought
the law was not being applied.
In response to a question what should be done for
effective fighting against smoking 19 percent said a
targeted propaganda may help, 11 percent mentioned
penalties for smoking in pubic places, while 10
percent believe that the law must be toughened and
applied consistently.
The law on restricting the sale, consumption and
use of tobacco products in Armenia came into force in
2005. It prohibits smoking in any public transport
system, and in all cultural, educational and health
institutions.
The Armenian parliament also ratified the European
Union’s Framework Convention on Tobacco control
(FCTC). One of the requirements of FCTC is to
implement the rule of the World Health Organization
that requires warning labels on cigarette packs. The
latter part of the law will become mandatory in 2008
and cigarette advertising will be outlawed by 2010.
According to other statistics, more than 70 percent
of men in Armenia are smokers, a higher percentage
than any country in Europe. The number of women and
especially teenage smokers has registered an increase
in recent years, as has the production and import of
cigarettes