Tobacco control fact sheet: Armenia

Armenia Health impact of tobacco control policies in line with the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) TABLE 1. Initial smoking prevalence and projected premature deaths ª Premature deaths are based on relative risks from large-scale studies of high-income countries. b Premature deaths are based on relative risks from large-scale studies of low- and middle-income countries. Source: WHO (1). Within 15 years, the effects of individual tobacco control policies when fully implemented in line with the WHO FCTC (2) are projected to reduce smoking prevalence by: • 31.5% by increasing excise cigarette taxes from the current level of 16.67% to 75% and prevent much smoking among young people; • 7.5% with more comprehensive smoke-free laws and stronger enforcement; • 11% by banning most forms of direct and indirect advertising to create a comprehensive ban on advertising, promotion and sponsorship with enforcement; • 9% by requiring that strong graphic health warnings be added to tobacco products; • 3.2% by increasing from moderate provision to a well publicized and comprehensive tobacco-cessation policy; and • 6.3% by increasing from a moderate- to high-level media campaign. Key findings ARMENIA Smoking prevalence (%) Smokers (n) Male Female Total 50.9 3.2 591 000 Projected premature deaths of current smokers (n) Maleª Femalea Totala Totalb 274 860 20 640 295 500 192 075 TOBACCO CONTROL FACT SHEET Ph ot o: Fo un ta in s, Ye re va n, N in a St ös sin ge r 2 00 9 Tobacco Control Fact Sheet Based on the current level of adult smoking in Armenia (1), premature deaths attributable to smoking are projected to be as high as 295 500 of the 591 000 smokers alive today (Table 1) and may increase in the absence of stronger policies. © World Health Organization 2017. All rights reserved. TABLE 2. Effect of tobacco control policies (individual and combined) on initial smoking prevalence and smoking-attributable deaths TABLE 3. Complete smoke-free indoor public places With this stronger set of policies and consistent with the WHO FCTC (2), smoking prevalence can be reduced by 42% within five years, 54% within 15 years and 63% within 40 years. Almost 187 000 deaths could be averted in the long term (Table 2). The SimSmoke tobacco control model (3) incorporates synergies in implementing multiple policies (such as strong media campaigns with smoke-free laws and tobacco-cessation policies). Monitor tobacco use The prevalence of current adult smokers (16 and above) in Armenia in 2012 was 25.4% (men: 50.9%; women: 3.2%) (1). Relative change in smoking prevalence (%) Reduction in smoking-attributable deaths in 40 years (n) Tobacco control policy 5 years 15 years 40 years Maleª Female a Totalª Totalb Protect through smoke-free laws –6.5 –7.5 –8.2 22 502 1 690 24 192 15 725 Offer tobacco cessation services –1.8 –3.2 –4.6 12 696 953 13 649 8 872 Mass media campaigns –5.5 –6.3 –6.6 18 141 1 362 19 503 12 677 Warnings on cigarette packages –6.0 –9.0 –12.0 32 983 2 477 35 460 23 049 Enforce marketing restrictions –9.2 –11.0 –11.9 32 695 2 455 35 150 22 847 Raise cigarette taxes –21.0 –31.5 –42.0 115 444 8 669 124 113 80 674 Combined policies –41.5 –53.5 –63.2 173 765 13 049 186 814 121 429 Protect people from tobacco smoke Health-care and education facilities (including universities) are completely smoke-free in Armenia (Table 3). Smoking violations incur fines for the patron but not the establishment. No funds are dedicated to enforcement, however, and no system is in place for citizen complaints and further investigations (4). ª Smoking-attributable deaths are based on relative risks from large-scale studies of high-income countries. b Smoking-attributable deaths are based on relative risks from large-scale studies of low- and middle-income countries. 2 Source: WHO (4). = completely smoke-free. = not completely smoke-free. Universities Government facilities Indoor offices and workplaces Restaurants Cafes, pubs and bars Public transport All other indoor public places Health care facilities Education facilities (except universities) TABLE 4. Bans on direct and indirect advertising Offer help to quit tobacco use Smoking-cessation services are available in some health clinics and other primary care facilities, with costs fully covered by the national health service or national health insurance. Nicotine replacement therapy can be purchased over the counter in a pharmacy without a prescription, but is not cost-covered. No toll-free quit line is available (4). Warn about the dangers of tobacco Health warnings are legally mandated to cover 30% of the front and rear of the principal display area, with five such warnings approved by law. They appear on each package and any outside packaging and labelling used in retail sale and describe the harmful effects of tobacco use on health. The law also mandates font size/style and colour for package warnings. The position of health warnings on packages rotates and the messages are written in the principal language(s) of the country. The warnings do not include a photograph or graphic, however (4). Enforce bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship Through a law adopted in 2006 and amended many times since (5), Armenia has bans in place on some forms of direct and indirect advertising (Table 4). The law requires fines for violations of these bans (4). Raise taxes on tobacco A pack of cigarettes in Armenia costs 600.00 AMD¹ (US$ 1.48), of which 33.33% is tax (16.67% is value-added tax and 16.67% excise taxes) (4). Armenia does not have: • bans on tobacco companies/tobacco industry publicizing their activities; • bans on entities other than tobacco companies/tobacco industry publicizing activities of the tobacco companies; • bans on tobacco companies funding or making contributions (including in-kind contributions) to smoking- prevention media campaigns, including those directed at young people; and • a requirement to present prescribed anti-tobacco advertisements before, during or after the broadcasting or showing of any visual entertainment (4). Direct advertising Indirect advertising National television and radio Free distribution in mail or through other means International television and radio Promotional discounts Local magazines and newspapers Non-tobacco products identified with tobacco brand names International magazines and newspapers Appearance of tobacco brands in television and/or films (product placement) Billboards and outdoor advertising Appearance of tobacco products in television and/or films Advertising at point of sale Sponsored events Advertising on the internet Tobacco products display at point of sale 3 Source: WHO (4). ¹ The currency code is according to International Organization for Standardization, ISO 4217 currency names and code elements. = banned. = not banned. About the SimSmoke model The abridged version of the SimSmoke tobacco control model, developed by David Levy of Georgetown University, United States of America, projects the reduction in smoking prevalence and smoking-attributable deaths as a result of implementing tobacco control policies (individually and in combination) (3). Specifically, the model projects the effects from: • protecting from second-hand smoke through stronger smoke-free laws • offering greater access to smoking-cessation services • placing warnings on tobacco packages and other media/educational programmes • enforcing bans on advertising, promotion and sponsorship • raising cigarette prices through higher cigarette taxes (6). Data on smoking prevalence among adults for the SimSmoke model were taken from the most recent nationally representative survey covering a wide age range; data on tobacco control policies were taken from the 2015 WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic (4). Funding This fact sheet was made possible by funding from the Government of the Russian Federation. References 1. Prevalence – most recent adult survey data by country. In: Global Health Observatory data repository (European Region) [online database]. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2016 (http://apps.who.int/gho/data/node.main-euro. TOB1249?lang=en, accessed 27 December 2016). 2. WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control [website]. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2016 (http://www.who. int/fctc/en/, accessed 27 December 2016). 3. Levy DT, Fouad H, Levy J, Dragomir A, El Awa F. Application of the abridged SimSmoke model to four eastern Mediterranean countries. Tob Control 2016; 25(4):413–21. doi:10.1136/ tobaccocontrol-2015-052334. 4. WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, 2015: raising taxes on tobacco. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2015 (http://www.who.int/tobacco/global_report/2015/en/, accessed 27 December 2016). 5. Tobacco control database for the WHO European Region [online database]. Copenhagen: WHO Regional Office for Europe; 2016 (http://data.euro.who.int/tobacco/, accessed 27 December 2016). 6. MPOWER. In: Tobacco free initiative (TFI) [website]. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2016 (http://www.who.int/ tobacco/mpower/en/, accessed 27 December 2016). Acknowledgements Data analysis: David Levy and Jeffrey Levy, Georgetown University, Washington (DC), United States of America Text: Kristina Mauer-Stender, Nataliia Toropova, Elizaveta Lebedeva, WHO Regional Office for Europe Text Editing: Alex Mathieson, Edinburgh, United Kingdom Graphic design: Carli Hyland, Hill+Knowlton Strategies, Copenhagen, Denmark 4 WHO/EURO:2017-10473-50245-75748 © World Health Organization 2017. All rights reserved.