Armenia’s Ministry of Health has introduced a bill to ban cigarettes from public areas. In addition to penalties, taxes on cigarettes will be raised by 15 percent annually from 2017 through 2021.
What the bill would do
-Prohibit tobacco use in cafes, bars, restaurants, government offices. FINE: AMD 250,000 ($519.95)
-Prohibit smoking while driving. FINE: AMD 50,000 ($103.99)
-Forbid the sale of cigarettes less than 100 meters from schools. FINE: AMD 500,000 ($1039.91).
-Outlaw ads and commercials promoting smoking. FINE: AMD 700,000 ($1 455.87)
Other important numbers
-One in two men smokes in Armenia.
-The average age of smokers in the country is18.
-In 2015, Armenia ranked 15th by the World Cancer Research Fund International for highest incidence of lung cancer.
-Men in Armenia are five to six times more likely than women to be diagnosed with and die from lung cancer.
-Men in Armenia are five to six times more likely than women to be diagnosed with and die from lung cancer.
“I am convinced that we will succeed in defeating this evil,” said Levon Altunyan, Armenia’s Minister of Health. “The best way to do that is to target [the smokers’] pockets, rather than minds.” he stated
This decision follows the anti-smoking strategy of last August to reduce smoking rates by 30-40%.
Ani Paitjan
