Print page

Smoke-free BiH for future generations

Press releases, 04.10.2016

The Draft Law on Control and Limited Use of Tobacco, Tobacco Products and Other Smoking Products in Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina has been presented today in Sarajevo. The law is needed to harmonise the legislation of the FBiH with the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and EU regulations. Swiss Government provided support to health authorities in the fight against smoking in BiH.

Smoke Free Zone
For smoke-free BiH © Smoke-Free Housing

The Draft Law provides for a ban on smoking in all indoor public places, public gatherings, in all workplaces, in public transport, in a private car if a person under 18 is present, a ban on selling tobacco products within 100-metre distance from educational institutions, a ban on advertising, and a ban on sale of cigarettes containing flavours, fragrances, vitamins, caffeine, taurine, colour and other additives.

“The Draft Law has been forwarded to all cantons, and will soon be tabled for debate and passage in parliament. The public should know that this is only the beginning and that a complete ban on smoking is a long term struggle that lies ahead,” said Federal Minister of Health Vjekoslav Mandić at today’s presentation. “The draft law will be an improvement on the current law in that it will apply not only to tobacco products, but also to other smoking products such as electronic cigarettes and hookah. Any restrictions being introduced on tobacco products shall also apply to these products.”

Switzerland is a close partner of Bosnia and Herzegovina for more than 15 years in supporting enhancement of the primary health care in the country. According to the Director of Cooperation at the Embassy of Switzerland in BiH, Barbara Dätwyler Scheuer, “one of the challenges of the health systems in BiH is an increasing burden of non-communicable diseases, having a devastating socio-economic impact in the country. Wide tobacco use in BiH is one of the key factors contributing to this problem. Therefore, tackling smoking as huge and entirely preventable cause of disease, disability and death is an imperative”.

Antitabacco Law_BiH
The presentation of the Law © FDFA

In order to help address this problem, Swiss Government, together with the World Bank, has provided support to health authorities in the country in accelerating implementation of the ratified WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. An important result of these efforts is a draft Law on Tobacco Control in Federation of BiH, which is in great extent harmonized with the WHO Framework Convention and directives of the European Union. The process of preparation of the new legal framework for tobacco control has been supported in a same manner in Republika Srpska.

Davor Pehar, Director of the FBiH Public Health Institute, reminded that BiH is ranked tenth in terms of cigarette consumption, with citizens spending close to four million KM daily on cigarettes. Surveys conducted in 2012 by the Federal Institute of Public Health show that about 44% of BiH citizens are smokers. The Institute warns that 52 percent of smokers are men and 37 percent are women, but especially discouraging is the fact that around 12.7% of smokers in BiH are school-age children. “Smoking is the most common addiction disease in the country. Our goal is to cut the number of smokers, which will result in reduced morbidity and mortality from smoking-attributable diseases,” said Pehar.

The Draft Law provides for fines ranging from KM 100 for individuals who smoke in public areas to KM 15,000 for persons involved in the production, import and trade of tobacco products contrary to the provisions of this law.

“Using EU countries as a model, by introducing this law we want to restrict smoking zones such to avoid health risks for non-smokers. When it comes to catering establishments, we want to introduce the protection of users of their services,” said the Federal coordinator for the fight against smoking Aida Ramić. To that end, the line ministry has signed a Memorandum of Understanding and Cooperation with the Association Progressive Reinforcement of Organisations and Individuals (PROI), whose representatives participate in the work of the expert group for drafting a new law on control and limited use of tobacco, tobacco products and other smoking products in the FBiH.

Start of page
Last update 27.11.2017