The Montenegrin Parliament will insist on a complete ban on smoking in enclosed spaces and consistent implementation of legal provisions banning the advertising of tobacco products, said Deputy Speaker of the Parliament Boris Pejović.
At a summit of Western Balkan parliamentarians dedicated to the role of parliaments in effective tobacco control, he said that the goal is an uncompromising fight against the tobacco epidemic.
As announced by the World Health Organization (WHO) Office in Montenegro, Pejović emphasized that the Parliament is committed to fulfilling the obligations under the ratified Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco.
"Tobacco is not only a public health problem, it represents a serious economic and social challenge, as well as an obstacle to the sustainable and inclusive development of our society as a whole," emphasized Pejović.
He reminded that promoting public health and protecting citizens from the harmful effects of tobacco and nicotine products is the task of the entire society and system.
"The Parliament of Montenegro will insist on a complete ban on smoking in enclosed spaces, as the backbone of effective control of tobacco use. We will insist on consistent implementation of legal provisions prohibiting the advertising of these harmful products," said Pejović.
According to him, it is particularly important to work on strengthening mechanisms to protect the legislative branch and sector policy makers from the illicit and toxic influence of the tobacco industry, both in the creation phase and in the implementation phase of tobacco control.
"Our policies must always and exclusively protect the public interest," Pejović emphasized.
He stated that more than two thousand people die every year in Montenegro from the consequences of smoking and that every year Montenegro loses 7,3 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) due to tobacco use.
"These alarming figures oblige us to invest in tobacco control. In this way, we invest in the health of our citizens, in the health of our budget, sustainable and inclusive development, and contribute to the acceleration of European integration," said Pejović.
The Director of the WHO Regional Office for Europe, Hans Kluge, recalled that tobacco use in the Western Balkans remains among the highest in Europe, with four out of ten adults, as well as a quarter of adolescents aged 13 to 15, using tobacco.
In many countries, he said, young people are increasingly switching to the use of new nicotine and tobacco products, including electronic cigarettes.
"These data indicate an extremely worrying trend, which raises the question of whether the tobacco industry's profits are more important than the health of our children," Kluge said.
He said that every year, around 55 people die prematurely from heart disease, stroke, cancer and other non-communicable diseases in the Western Balkans.
"Yes, tobacco is harmful to health - very harmful. At the same time, it is a huge burden on the economy, results in increased health costs and harms the environment," said Kluge.
What is needed, he stressed, is stronger tobacco control legislation, which should be fully implemented and enforced.
The WHO Regional Office for Europe, as he stated, appeals to governments, political leaders and decision-makers to help shape and strengthen laws that can reduce smoking rates, protect children from addiction or lifelong chronic diseases, combat the illicit trade in tobacco products, protect the environment and defend policymaking from industry influence.
"Ultimately, health is a political choice," Kluge stressed.
He said that many countries have successfully reduced tobacco use by enacting and implementing smoke-free laws, increasing taxes and banning advertising.
"WHO member states in the Western Balkans can do the same," said Kluge.
The Head of the Secretariat of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, Adriana Blanco Marquizo, stressed that there is an urgent need worldwide for parliamentarians to address the issue of tobacco use.
This, she pointed out, is not just a health problem, but a social, economic, environmental and legal imperative that requires urgent attention.
"We must be vigilant about the ways in which the tobacco industry impacts public health and attempts to inappropriately influence decision-makers," said Blanco Marquiso.
According to her, the tobacco industry has acted for years with the clear intention of making meaningless the role of governments and the WHO in implementing public health policies for the tobacco use epidemic.
She assessed that parliamentarians play a key role in controlling tobacco use.
Blanco Marquiso added that they have the authority to enact and oversee the implementation of well-designed and comprehensive tobacco control laws.
"This includes calling for the full implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products," said Blanko Marquiso.
As she said, by promoting parliamentary debate on tobacco control and ensuring an effective multisectoral response, parliamentarians can accelerate progress in reducing tobacco use and achieving corresponding benefits for sustainable development.
A two-day summit of Western Balkan parliamentarians dedicated to the role of parliaments in effective tobacco control is being held in Budva under the auspices of the Parliament of Montenegro in cooperation with and with the financial and expert support of the Secretariat of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
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