Albanians are great smokers

TIRANA, Sept. 5 – Albanians remain among the highest cigarette smokers in the world and smoking has increased especially among women in the country, according to the data from the Institute of Public Health. Four out of ten Albanians smoke. The country has some 870,000 smokers that consumer some 6,000 tons of cigarettes per year, or some $320 million. Smoking has increased, according to IPH studies, especially among women and younger age groups. It says that 81 percent start smoking before 18 years old. The ministry of Health is working with different ways in an effort to reduce smoking. The parliament may soon pass a law prohibiting smoking in public places and heavily punishing those owners of coffee bars, say, that allow smoking, other than in a corner. Albania ratified in February this year the convention against smoking, like 126 other countries. Smoking causes more than 25 illnesses among some 1.3 billion smokers worldwide.