CIS public health experts discussed countries' experience in tobacco control

Display of electronic cigarettes and tobacco heating systems at points of sale is considered a type of advertising, so it is prohibited in some Commonwealth countries.

How to prevent the negative impact of tobacco and nicotine-containing products on CIS countries citizens’ health? The answer to this question was sought on March 6 at RIH expert group meeting in the field of "Public Health" under the Designated Organization of Public Health and Healthcare Digital Transformation of the CIS member states. It should be reminded that this organization was established to ensure interaction of Commonwealth public health bodies at interstate level.

From the Republic of Belarus experts from the Republican Scientific and Practical Center of Medical Technologies, Informatization, Management and Economics of Health Care, as well as the Republican Center of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Public Health participated in the meeting. The Republic of Kazakhstan was represented by experts from the National Center of Public Health, the Kyrgyz Republic - by the National Institute of Public Health. The Republic of Tajikistan was represented by experts of the Ministry of Health, the Republic of Uzbekistan - experts from the Center for Support of Healthy Lifestyle and Increasing Population Physical Activity.

The event was also attended by Elena Shamal, Advisor to the Department of Humanitarian Cooperation, General Political and Social Problems, Secretary of the CIS Health Cooperation Council. The moderator of the meeting was the head of the expert group, Deputy Head of Risk Factors Prevention and Communication Technologies in Health care, RIH, Viktor Zykov.

According to Zykov, Kyrgyzstan's experience in reducing the negative impact of tobacco on public health is very interesting. According to Chinara Bekbasarova, Republic representative, the country has a law that completely prohibits tobacco advertising, both direct and indirect. That is, displaying of electronic cigarettes and tobacco heating systems in points of sale is prohibited. They are stored in locked cabinets.

"There is no such measure in Russia", noted Victor Zykov, "meanwhile, displaying of tobacco products is a form of product promotion, so it can be considered a form of advertising. Kazakhstan has also adopted similar measures, and the experience of these two states may be of interest to Russia and other Commonwealth countries".