Deputy Prime Minister Iurie Leancă has chaired Thursday the ordinary meeting of National Tobacco Control Coordinating Council (CNCCT). 

The meeting was attended by representatives from the ministries and state institutions responsible for the implementation of the National Tobacco Control Plan for 2017-2021, as well as representatives of civil society.

At the beginning of the meeting, the Deputy Prime Minister reviewed the main progresses and problems encountered in implementing legislation and combating tobacco consumption.

"Tobacco consumption remains a major challenge for our country with consequences for public health and demographic security. We've taken various measures to meet the national problem: increased awareness of smoking risks, smoking ban in public institutions and public spaces..," said Iurie Leancă. 

The Deputy Prime Minister thanked the competent public authorities and civil society for their involvement in combating smoking among pupils and teenagers in our country.

In this context, the Deputy Prime Minister came up with the proposal to set up a working group to analyze the European experience of selling tobacco items in the booths. 

Following discussions and debates, the participants agreed to jointly undertake several actions:

- The Ministry of Internal Affairs, jointly with the Ministry of Health, Labor and Social Protection, will ensure the completion and promotion of the package of documents necessary for Moldova's accession to the Protocol on the elimination of illicit trade in tobacco products to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control no later than trim. III 2019. 

- The Ministry of Health, Labor and Social Protection will provide the World Bank with the necessary support for the objective assessment of tobacco control indicators for disbursement of budget support to modernize the health system;

- The Ministry of Finance will examine and propose to increase specific excise duties on tobacco products and related products.

The next meeting of the National Coordinating Council for Tobacco Control will take place at the end of May on the occasion of the World No Tobacco Day.