Levon Altunyan: young generation starts smoking, paying tribute to fashion
ArmInfo. Grandparents can continue to smoke and cough, but you need to do everything possible so that their grandchildren do not smoke and are healthy. Minister of Healthcare of Armenia Levon Altunyan stated this at a press conference on October 6 summing up the results of the annual activity of the Armenian Ministry of Health.
According to him, in no country in the world an anti-smoking campaign can not be crowned with success without the support of society and the media. "But the program has no alternative - there simply can not be a second opinion, and the Ministry of Health will work with the press as much as it will be necessary to bring to the society the basic idea - if older people smoke, then they can continue this occupation, but young people should not start smoking, "Altunyan said.
The minister recalled that most of the budget allocated to the health sector is directed to the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, in the development of which an important role is played by smoking.
And all the blame, according to the head of the Ministry of Health - fashion. As a rule, the younger generation, paying a tribute to fashion, begins to smoke. That is why, in the fight against smoking, the emphasis should be placed on the emotional side of the issue, so that smoking ceases to be fashionable in Armenia.
Earlier, responding to the question of ArmInfo, Levon Altunyan stated that within the framework of the Strategy for Combating Smoking for 2017-2020. According to the results of 2020, the reduction in the number of smokers by 3-5% is expected in Armenia. According to him, in particular, the following activities are planned: legislative regulation of the process, in accordance with international norms, which will result in restrictions on tobacco smoking in public places and in premises, the terms of reference of the competent body controlling the process, and the procedure for the circulation of electronic cigarettes, clarified the concept of secondary smoke and forced passive smokers, as well as a ban on advertising of tobacco products. The Ministry of Health also plans activities aimed at raising public awareness about the dangers of tobacco. Thus, the expected results from the activities carried out within the framework of the strategy for 2017-2020. in particular, the reduction in the prevalence of tobacco use (by 1.5-2% per year), the relative decline in the prevalence rate of tobacco use among men aged 15 and up to 10%, and the reduction of exposure to second-hand smoke.