The Republic of Belarus has a number of regulations that can be used to protect yourself and your loved ones from tobacco use.
From July 27, 2019, smoking (consuming) tobacco products, using electronic smoking systems, and tobacco consumption systems is prohibited, with the exception of places specially designated for this purpose:
- in elevators and auxiliary rooms of multi-apartment residential buildings, dormitories;
- in the premises and on the territories occupied by educational institutions and organizations implementing postgraduate educational programs;
- in the premises and on the territories occupied by government agencies, cultural and healthcare organizations, organizations providing communication services, social, banking, insurance, hotel and other services, as well as organizations, individual entrepreneurs, who, in accordance with the legislation of the Republic of Belarus, are granted the right to carry out educational activities, in premises intended for the reception of citizens, including on issues of carrying out administrative procedures;
- on the territories and in the premises occupied by sports and health camps and other camps, occupied by physical education and sports organizations, physical education and sports facilities;
- in public catering facilities, on the territory of summer areas (extensions of halls);
- in workplaces organized indoors;
- on playgrounds;
- in all types of public transport, with the exception of sea vessels and mixed (river-sea) navigation vessels;
- at stopping points on routes for the transportation of passengers by automobile and by urban electric transport, at boarding areas used for the boarding and disembarking of passengers, in the premises of passenger terminals, ports and airports, in the premises and on the territories of railway stations intended for servicing passengers of public railway transport;
- in underground passages, at metro stations;
- in vehicles if there are children under 14 years of age in them;
- within the boundaries of the territories occupied by beaches;
- in retail and consumer service facilities, shopping centers and markets;
- in other places determined by legislative acts of the Republic of Belarus.
It should be noted that violation of anti-tobacco legislation is subject to administrative liability under Article 19.9 of the Code of Administrative Offenses, “Smoking (consumption) of tobacco products in prohibited places.”
Remember! Smoking is harmful to your health!
Reducing tobacco consumption is one of the most important levers for achieving all Sustainable Development Goals and reducing the risk of developing non-communicable diseases in the Republic of Belarus, including in the Brest region.
The implementation of legislative measures and activities to prevent tobacco smoking among all categories of the population in the administrative territories of the Brest region made it possible to achieve a reduction in the prevalence of tobacco use among persons aged 16 years and older to 26.4% by 2025, which ensured the fulfillment of the target indicator of the State Program “Public Health and Demographic Security of the Republic of Belarus” for 2021-2025 (27.4%).
Sanitary and epidemiological service institutions and healthcare organizations, together with interested parties, are constantly working to prevent smoking and the use of electronic tobacco consumption systems, with a particular focus on adolescents and young adults.
Despite the measures taken, tobacco use remains a pressing problem, especially among young people. The growing interest in e-cigarettes among this population is a concern. Many smoke in places where smoking is prohibited.
The social and economic consequences of smoking determine the need to take effective measures to reduce and limit tobacco smoking, including strict compliance with the requirements of legislative acts adopted in the Republic of Belarus.
