Tens of thousands of citizens signed a petition that was submitted, on Wednesday, February 25, to the Ministry of Health, which calls for a ban on electronic smoking in all closed public spaces. According to the initiators, “the definition of smoking must only be changed by including electronic smoking variants in this definition”.
The petition was submitted by the Declic Community, alongside Dr. Mihail Pautov, being signed by over 62 thousand citizens, writes Agerpres.
“We believe that it is the direct obligation of the Minister of Health to intervene. We are here to convey that we will continue this approach and take it to the white cloth, until it becomes so inconvenient for the politicians that they will be forced to change the law”said Dr. Mihail Pautov, co-initiator of the petition.
Currently, Law no. 349/2002 prohibits smoking in closed public spaces, but defines smoking exclusively as burning tobacco. Because of this, electronic cigarettes and tobacco heating devices are not included in the general ban and can be used legally in most closed public spaces, the quoted source says.
“Over 60 thousand people are already asking Minister Rogobete to get involved directly”
Therefore, Declic requests the ministry to urgently initiate the amendment of the legislation to include all forms of smoking in the ban.
“Unfortunately for Minister Rogobete, it really is his job and we draw his attention to the fact that he will not have a “depressurization”, public pressure will increase on this issue. More than 60 thousand people are already asking Minister Rogobete to get directly involved in changing the law.
It’s simple: the definition of smoking just needs to be changed by including electronic smoking variants in this definition”said Antoniu Bumb, Declic campaigner, quoted in the press release.
The current form of the law exposes children, pregnant women, people with chronic diseases and all non-smokers to toxic substances that remain suspended in the air and are repeatedly inhaled.
“This legislative loophole creates a situation where the smoker is permanently connected to a source of nicotine. There are practically no more breaks in consumption behavior.
This means that the addiction becomes much more severe for the smoker. And it is absolutely the responsibility of the medical authorities in Romania to fix this law”, declared psychiatrist Eugen Hriscu, specialist in the prevention and treatment of addiction, at the event.
23% of 15-year-olds have smoked in the last 30 days
According to an OECD report published this year, 9% of deaths registered in Romania are attributed to smoking, an average close to that of other OECD member countries.
Among adults, the smoking rate was, in 2019, 18.7%, above the OECD average of 14.8%.
Men smoke about 4 times more than women. Also, 23% of 15-year-olds have smoked in the past 30 days.
25% use e-cigarettes / vapes – among the highest in the OECD.
