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New tobacco products pose a challenge to the healthcare system. Officials and specialists in the field emphasize that new types of tobacco products have been gaining widespread popularity in recent years, creating new challenges for efforts to combat tobacco use.
Speaking at a press conference on the occasion of National No Tobacco Day, Mariam Mnatsakanyan, head of the Public Health Division at the Ministry of Health of Armenia, said that Armenia had worked in various areas for years but is now facing new challenges.
“Armenia improved its legislation years ago, tightened smoking restrictions, increased fines and introduced advertising restrictions. These measures have certainly had an impact, but we are now seeing new types of tobacco products gaining widespread popularity as a result of various marketing campaigns. Companies are offering new packaging combined with different flavors and aromas, particularly targeting women and adolescents,” Mnatsakanyan said.
According to studies, 25.5% of the population aged 18 and older in Armenia are daily smokers. Among men, 53% smoke, compared with 2% of women.
“Rates of tobacco use among children remain high. Among 15-year-olds, 25% of boys and 4% of girls smoke. As around the world, the use of electronic cigarettes is a serious challenge in our country as well. In Armenia, children are already trying tobacco for the first time at the age of 11, while about 5% of 13-year-olds use various types of tobacco products,” Mnatsakanyan said.
Tigran Byuzandyan, head of the Thoracic Surgery and Interventional Pulmonology Department at the V. A. Fanarjian National Center of Oncology and a thoracic surgeon, spoke about the risks of tobacco use, noting that tobacco combustion produces toxic gases that enter the respiratory tract and subsequently reach other organs.
“Smoking poses a significant risk and can cause various diseases, including cardiovascular problems and cancer. Data from clinical practice show that the majority of patients diagnosed with lung cancer are smokers. Lung cancer occurs mainly among people over the age of 50, with men accounting for the majority of cases. We urge our patients to quit smoking. Studies show that in such cases, when patients receive medication following surgical treatment, survival improves by 5–10%,” Byuzandyan said.
Specialists say that efforts to combat tobacco use must be intensified alongside addressing new challenges. In addition to raising public awareness and increasing fines, broader opportunities must be created for people who want to quit smoking. People seeking help can now contact the Ministry of Health of Armenia, which will refer them to specialists. Initially, support will consist of psychological counseling, followed, if necessary, by medication prescribed with the assistance of appropriate specialists.
The Ministry of Health of Armenia has also launched the Smoke Free Armenia mobile application, which allows citizens to report cases of smoking in prohibited areas.