New smoking laws proposed in Armenia by Ministry of Health

Smoking in public places will be banned in Armenia, with hefty fines imposed on perpetrators as part of a bill which has recently been proposed by the Ministry of Health. The bill will be subject to public debate.

Smokers will be fined based on the place where they were found smoking:

• In an elevator, café or office – AMD 250 000 (USD 520);
• In a car – AMD 50 000 (USD 104);
• In public transport or a taxi – AMD 100 000 (USD 208).

The bill also envisages penalties for cigarette vendors:

• The sale of loose cigarettes – AMD 300 000 (USD 624);
• The sale of cigarettes within a 100 meter distance from schools – AMD 500 000 (USD 1 040).

Employers who have failed to ban smoking at workplaces will be fined AMD 500 000 (USD 1 040). A fine of AMD 100 000 (USD 208) will also be imposed for not displaying a ‘no smoking’ sign.

Special outdoor facilities will be available for smoking.

In August last year, the Armenian government adopted a new anti-smoking strategy seeking to reduce smoking rates by 30-40%.

“Over 55% of adult men and 3% of women in Armenia are regular smokers. Therefore we propose a ban on smoking in public places. There won’t be separate smoking areas in restaurants because the aim of this anti-smoking measure is to ensure that nobody smokes at all rather than just to prevent smoking in the presence of non-smokers,” stated Levon Altunyan, the Minister of Health.