NGO-s Warn: Deputies Cause Serious Health Hazard!

TIRANA, Nov. 7 – Important Albanian nongovernmental bodies threatened they would transform the health hazard smoking warnings into poignant messages against parliamentarians if the latest do not consider their suggestions regarding the laws that regulate smoking. The Albanian office for Consumer Protection has joined hands in protesting with the Albanian Youth Council and the Youth Parliament. The new law that was due for discussion this week does not suffice according to representatives of these organizations. The law does not regulate properly the advertising of the tobacco industry and especially the predatory advertising that targets youth consumption. The latest has become a serious phenomenon with Albanian youngsters becoming one of the most profitable consumer categories for tobacco. The protesters submitted their version on Tuesday afternoon in front of the Parliament. In it they require that specific additional measures should be introduced in the fourth chapter, subsection 13 that deals directly with advertising. The Public Health Institute should have the capacity to check that in every advertising space, one third is devoted to warnings and explanations on how tobacco harms health. The NGOs say that the choice is stark and simple: youth health or youth cancer. Otherwise, they explain that they will put up posters saying that: Deputies cause serious risks to your health!