Caretaker Health Minister Michail Okoliyski advocated for implementing an effective smoking ban and limiting the influence of the tobacco industry during a roundtable discussion on “Improved tobacco control and effective implementation of the WHO Framework Convention and Bulgarian legislation.” The event, hosted by Minister Okoliyski and supported by the World Health Organization (WHO) in Bulgaria, emphasized the need to enforce the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and related national laws. Given the current legislative impasse, Minister Okoliyski submitted a formal letter to the President, all ministries, and other institutions. This correspondence outlined two key actions: first, establishing genuinely enforceable orders to ban smoking, as it is already legally prohibited; and second, addressing tobacco industry interference.
He stated that such interference is often subtle, noting that the Ministry of Health should not partner with tobacco companies. Minister Okoliyski highlighted a concerning trend, observing that while tobacco and heated tobacco use is declining across EU nations, it is increasing in Bulgaria, where approximately 40% of the population smokes. He expressed particular concern over high rates of smoking among young people and noted that smoking remains prevalent within government buildings.
Other participants echoed these concerns. Experts discussed gaps in the implementation of the WHO Framework Convention, particularly regarding heated tobacco products. They stressed the need for increased prevention funding and stricter controls on tobacco advertising and industry sponsorship.
The discussion underscored the necessity of protecting public health policies from commercial interests, a principle enshrined in the Framework Convention.
Topics: #minister #okoliyski #effective
Caretaker Health Minister Michail Okoliyski advocated for the implementation of an effective smoking ban and the limitation of the tobacco industry’s influence. These points were raised during a round