In Uzbekistan, 23% of men and 1% of women are smokers, and about 30,000 people die each year in the country due to smoking-related diseases. This was announced on November 12, at a regular meeting of the “Milliy Tiklanish” party faction.
At the faction meeting in the Legislative Chamber, the draft law “On Restriction of Distribution and Consumption of Alcohol and Tobacco Products” was first discussed.
During the meeting, it was noted that tobacco and alcohol products are the cause of diseases that have become a global problem – cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes. According to the United Nations, smoking kills 5.4 million people a year, or one person every six seconds. Alcohol causes 3.3 million deaths.
“The situation in our country is also worrying. According to the Republican Institute of Health and Medical Statistics, about 30,000 people die each year in Uzbekistan due to smoking-related diseases. 23% of men and 1% of women in our country are smokers. Especially in recent years, young people are increasingly addicted to e-cigarettes, nicotine snuffs. According to experts, e-cigarette smokers later start smoking twice as much as regular cigarettes. This will increase the level of nicotine dependence of the younger generation,” the press service of the lower house said.
Taking into account the above, a draft law has been prepared, which provides for the regulation of the circulation of alcohol and tobacco products, protection of citizens from negative consequences, the creation of organizational and legal conditions for a healthy lifestyle in society. As a result of the weakness of the organizational and legal mechanisms of the current law, the level of compliance with the rules and restrictions set out in it is very low.
“In the new version of the bill, restrictions on the sale of alcohol and tobacco products are changed from 20 to 21 years, and the requirements for delivery and distribution are strengthened. It is also prohibited to display tobacco products on the shelves of trade and service facilities.
At the same time, the bill also includes restrictions on the circulation of nicotine snuff, which is not provided for in the current law, but is now becoming a tradition among young people and poses a serious threat to their health,” the report said.
