Smoking Banned in Public Enclosed Spaces and All Public Food Establishments

President Armen Sarkissian has signed amendments to several laws regarding the reduction and prevention of damage to health caused by the use of tobacco products and their substitutes. These laws include changes to the Law on Local Self-Government, the Law on Advertising, the Law on Local Taxes and Charges, and amendments to Armenia's Code of Administrative Offenses. Under these new laws, smoking is prohibited in public enclosed spaces as well as in all public food establishments.

The purpose of these laws is to reduce tobacco consumption in the Republic of Armenia, protect public health from the effects of secondhand smoke, and decrease the incidence of non-communicable diseases.

“When I signed the law on ‘Reducing and Preventing Health Damage Caused by the Use of Tobacco Products and Their Substitutes’ and four related laws, I, as the President of the Republic and as a citizen, considered whether it was necessary to have a law to understand the damage that smoking causes to health, families, the environment,” said President Armen Sarkissian. “I question whether the legal formulation of laws impacts us more than the advice we hear from parents, relatives, and friends, or the stories we read almost daily about the harms of smoking. Socrates said, ‘If a person takes care of their health, then it is hard to find a doctor who can be more helpful to their health than they themselves.’ It’s never too late to stop, and there should be no need for any state body to realize that. I do not think there needs to be legislative regulation where first and foremost we need to think clearly. Of course, the law draws certain boundaries that must be observed. However, it is each of your decisions to consider your health, that of your family, our people, and our country.

On the other hand, both smokers and non-smokers are our citizens, and no legislative restriction, even for a public good purpose, should cause intolerance towards each other. The government has an obligation to create as accessible conditions as possible for its smoking citizens to encourage positive changes in their behavior.