New law about controlling the marketing of cigarettes.
In 2010, 20,470 people died as a result of smoking in Hungary, which is one-sixth of all deaths (16%). For men, nearly a quarter of all deaths (23%) are caused by smoking, while in the case of women it is one-tenth (9%). The Government aims to prevent the worsening of the tobacco-related public health situation. After the legal protection of non-smokers a logical step was to control youth tobacco consumption.
The Parliament adopted the bill that aims to push back the smoking of the underage and that controls the retail trade of tobacco products. The law is designed to provide a reasonable trade in tobacco products in rational framework, so as to safeguard the health of future generations. The adoption of the law makes more transparent and clear to the sale of tobacco products, so the state can track the revenues from these products. The protection of minors deserves special attention since in Hungary smoking is discretionary and cigarettes are easily accessible.
The law not only helps to reduce the number of smokers, but tobacconist’s will provide jobs, thus livelihood for thousands of families.
