Reduction of smoking and its hazards

In 2011 the National Committee for prevention of smoking and its hazards presented its conclusions to the government. The National plan for reducing smoking and its hazards was incorporated into a decision by the 32nd government on May 29, 2011. The decision includes the establishment of a Ministry of Health unit for battling smoking hazards that would lead the program's implementation. It was also decided that law memorandums on smoking in public places would be distributed and that limitations would be imposed on the advertising of cigarettes. The Minister of Finance was appointed with the task of presenting recommendations regarding no-smoking schools. In addition, it was agreed that a bi-ministerial team would be formed by the Ministry for Environmental Protection and the Ministry of Health regarding taxation of tobacco products, and the Minister of Education was requested to develop an experimental program with the Ministry of Health to reduce damages caused by cigarette stubs.

The government decision was very partially implemented. While tobacco taxation has gradually increased, and a pilot program has been implemented in schools around the country, the law memorandums distributed in order to limit cigarette advertising and reduce smoking in public places did not evolve into actual legislation. The most significant part of the program, which was supposed to result in the formation of a policy, implementation of plans, control, and enforcement, has not been implemented, as the Ministry of health did not establish a unit dedicated to reducing smoking and its hazards, as required by the decision. The unit was supposed to include 30 employees. In practice there are only two Ministry of Health employees dealing with the topic.