18:02 - 16.01.2019

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January 16, Fineko/abc.az. There are many smokers in Azerbaijan.

Fatos Hande Harmanci, representative of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Azerbaijan, stated that tobacco smoking remains a serious problem around the world.

"In Azerbaijan, about 1.3 million people are smoking tobacco, and half of the people who smoke in the country die before they reach age of 70 years. Therefore, serious fight to prevent tobacco use is very important. It is necessary to increase cost of tobacco products, which are cheap in Azerbaijan. Increase in prices will be able to prevent the start of smoking among young people to some extent," the WHO representative said.

She pointed out that it is also necessary to reduce advertising of tobacco products, start closed sale of cigarettes, or change cigarette packs.

"If measures are not taken to combat tobacco use, the number of smokers will continue to grow. My observations show that the Baku youth is interested in the use of cigarettes and hookah. I note that hookah smoking for one hour is comparable to smoking 40 cigarettes," Ms. Harmanci said.