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Learn about the new Slovenian tobacco legislation that completely bans smoking in public areas and raises the age limit for tobacco products. Explore how governments can be more persuasive in implementing such legislation.
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ENSP Network Meeting 2007, Cascais, Portugal SLOVENIAN COALITION FOR TOBACCO CONTROL: SLOVENIAN TOBACCO LEGISLATION- FROM IDEAL TO PRACTISE Mihaela Lovše Mojca Bizjak Tanja Volf
TABLE OF CONTENTS • PRESENTATION OF THE NEW SLOVENIAN TOBACCO LEGISLATION • HOW COULD GOVERNMENTS BE MORE PERSUASIVE? • HOW DOES SCTC SEE THE ROLE OF NGOs IN SUPPORTIHG THE LEGISLATION? – A MODEL OF GOOD PRACTICE. • HOW TO LOBY?
PRESENTATION OF THE NEW SLOVENIAN TOBACCO LEGISLATION The news on the new Slovenian tobacco legislation: • In the beginning of August the new Slovenian tobacco legislation came into force. The main feature of this legislation is that it completely bans smoking* in all public areas. In addition to this, 45 members of The Parliament voted for and 13 against the new tobacco legislation.
PRESENTATION OF THE NEW SLOVENIAN TOBACCO LEGISLATION • a different, milder legislation implemented before proved to be inefficient and mocked. The main reason for its faliure, as we see it today, was the fact that there was not enough funds to hire inspectors on the terrain to check if the legislation was being respected. The result was a complete ignorance of the legislation. • it is important to realize that members of the parliament do not have time to read all legislation in detail so establishing of a dialogue with as many of them as possible is vital for emphasizing the importance of the topic.
PRESENTATION OF THE NEW SLOVENIAN TOBACCO LEGISLATION The new tobacco legislation is based on latest scientific researches on harmful effects of second hand smoking. As mentioned previously, the new tobacco legislation completely bans smoking in all public areas except; • hotel rooms and other accommodations • retirement homes • prisons • mental hospitals • rooms/places intended exclusively to smoking i.e. smoking rooms Employees in these institutions are not allowed to stay in theserooms/areas unless no one is smoking at the time of their presence.
PRESENTATION OF THE NEW SLOVENIAN TOBACCO LEGISLATION New tobacco legislation also sets regulations for smoking rooms: • no drinking or eating will be allowed in smoking rooms • smoking rooms must not exceed more then 20% of the public area/workplace (e.g. pubs) Smoking rooms are still prohibited in the institutions/areas where smoking was completely banned before (i.e. educational and health and care institutions).
PRESENTATION OF THE NEW SLOVENIAN TOBACCO LEGISLATION The next important feature of the new tobacco legislation is that it raises the age limit* from 15 to 18 years. The main purpose of this measure is to limit the access of tobacco products to minors. What is more the vendor has the right to demand ID from the customer, if he suspects that s/he is under age. * While lobying for the actions to be undertaken in order to achieve our goal we have to always bare in mind that the young are the subjects that are most vulnerable to the traps of tobacco industry.
PRESENTATION OF THE NEW SLOVENIAN TOBACCO LEGISLATION Besides the health-risk warnings, every pack of cigarettes will be equipped with the help call number* (appointed by the Health Minister) where smoker can get useful advice on quitting smoking. * We believe that motivation and support equals in result as banning and educating. All three factors are equally important and have to walk hand in hand in our efforts if we are to achieve our goal to the maximum extent.
HOW COULD GOVERNMENTS BE MORE PERSUASIVE? • The power most governments have is of an executive nature. They have the power to impose new legislations and the manpower to execute them. • They govern with the help of the police and army. • Our job is to persuade them and their voters that they are working in the best interest of the public when they decide on legislations such as the one we are discussing today. • It has to happen on more than one level. • Only passing the legislation is not enough!
HOW COULD GOVERNMENTS BE MORE PERSUASIVE? • It may even have a negative result especially when arguments of the two sides are consisted of terms such as human rights, free will, segregation, financial losses for some, addiction (for addiction should not be approached represiv), health issues etc.. • The focus has to be on achieving the goal and not to get lost in arguments with which we are distancing ourselves from it. • The public has to realize it is not about banning them from doing something but to secure healthy environments where they spend their time.
HOW COULD GOVERNMENTS BE MORE PERSUASIVE? • In Slovenian Coalition for Tobacco Control ( SCTC) we are trying to make the Ministry of Health, with which we have a constructive dialogue, the Ministry of Finance and members of the parliament, realize how important it is to implement the TOBACCO EURO. Let us see some of the facts of Slovenian population concerning the tobacco use before explaining why it is important that new tobacco legislations still to be passed should go hand in hand with implementing legislations consisting a complete banning of smoking in public places:
HOW COULD GOVERNMENTS BE MORE PERSUASIVE? • The prevalence of smokers in Slovenia is high, especially among the young. • The price of cigarettes is one of the lowest in EU ( 60% of the average) • We have 23,7% adult smokers. • High rate of young smokers (especially female - 30,2% of the population) • The rate of sold cigarette packs puts us on the 5th place in the EU. • Even if we raise the price for 1€ we would still be seriously below the EU average. • The practise has proven that a 10% higher price rate means 4% smokers giving up smoking.
HOW COULD GOVERNMENTS BE MORE PERSUASIVE? • We suggest implementing and lobbying for implementation of the Tobacco Euro at the same time as for implementation of the law. • The simultaneous implementation has many positive results. • However, the sole implementation of the Tobacco Euro (TE) is advisable since.
HOW COULD GOVERNMENTS BE MORE PERSUASIVE? • It enables the funds for the necessary preeducation mentioned earlier. • It enables the funds for help lines (there have to be help lines if we are to put their numbers on the cigarette pack and there have to be hiplines if we are aware of the fact that we are dealing with a mass addiction.) • It reduces smoking since the higher price results in giving up smoking. • It can financially support activities of contra-smoking-propaganda and workshops/activities for the young.
HOW COULD GOVERNMENTS BE MORE PERSUASIVE? • It enables efforts by NGOs that are in direct contact with the public which members of the parliament do not have access to ( such as the young population) in the places where the social interaction happens. • It enables activities that induce the process of identification. We have to be aware of two facts when it comes to the young. First, if the tobacco industry gets to the young, they have a life-time customer, so they are the most vulnerable (also because of their age, puberty and socialization processes).Second, the tobacco industry builds its marketing strategies on presenting smoking as something 'cool'.
HOW COULD GOVERNMENTS BE MORE PERSUASIVE? • If a government starts its efforts on serious use of tobacco products reduction it has to convince the public they are doing it for the good of the public. Implementation of the Tobacco Euro (TE) means giving back to the society and by that it emphasises the nobility of the efforts and has a positive connotation, while imposing a new legislation can be perceived as the government repressing the public. Legislation and TE, hand in hand will make the public realize their health is important to their leaders.
HOW DOES SCTC SEE THE ROLE OF NGOs IN SUPPORTING THE LEGISLATION? – A MODEL OF GOOD PRACTICE.
HOW DOES SCTC SEE THE ROLE OF NGOs IN SUPPORTING THE LEGISLATION? – A MODEL OF GOOD PRACTICE. • Slovenian Coalition for Tobacco Control is an association of societies and organizations concerned with public health. We work closely with the Ministry of Health and different institutions around Slovenia. • Let us present some of the projects and their concepts:
HOW DOES SCTC SEE THE ROLE OF NGOs IN SUPPORTING THE LEGISLATION? – A MODEL OF GOOD PRACTICE. • Projects supported by the Ministry of Health: • 2005: SMOKE FREE WORK ENVIRONMENTS – The project consisted of a series of visits to the bar owners presenting the benefits of the implementation of the new legislation in addition to organizing public concerts, festivals with an aggressive media support. The concept was to reach a big audience to present advantages the new legislation would bring.
HOW DOES SCTC SEE THE ROLE OF NGOs IN SUPPORTING THE LEGISLATION? – A MODEL OF GOOD PRACTICE. • Organizing an international conference with the topic of the project being discussed. It involved models of good practices in Countries that have similar legislations for a longer period of time. All three of Slovenian Universities were actively involved. • A greater organized groupation of relevant NGOs (16 in 2005 with emphasis on the ones dealing with the young population) in order to join the forces and efforts in the struggle. • A constructive cooperation* was established with the Centre of Development and Informing NGOs ( 250 NGOs direct and 5000 indirect NGO connections), with the Ministry of Health of Slovenia and Slovenian Public Health Institute. * It is important to have an active information network with other NGOs.
HOW DOES SCTC SEE THE ROLE OF NGOs IN SUPPORTING THE LEGISLATION? – A MODEL OF GOOD PRACTICE. • Searching of the contacts** to be able to communicate with the members of the Parliament and regional representatives on the importance of the topic with considderation to ENSP recommendations on a free and comprihendable tobacco legislation. ** As mentioned before the members of the Parliament have to be equipped with the right arguments and data.
HOW DOES SCTC SEE THE ROLE OF NGOs IN SUPPORTING THE LEGISLATION? – A MODEL OF GOOD PRACTICE. • 2006 and 2007 projects: REDUCE OF THE USE OF TOBACCO AMONG THE YOUNG (Supported by the Ministry of Health of Slovenia, Slovenian Public Health Institute, Slovenian national Counterpart for Tobacco Control and Cindi Slovenia. Our president Mrs. Mihaela Lovše is a member of the Ministry of health work group and gave support in preparing the necessary documents and formulations for the formation of the new legislation.
HOW DOES SCTC SEE THE ROLE OF NGOs IN SUPPORTING THE LEGISLATION? – A MODEL OF GOOD PRACTICE. • At the moment we are preparing the proposal for the implementation of Tobacco Euro and are working on its promotion and support of the idea. • Numerous debates* visits and discussion have been held and raised at the Ministry of finance of Slovenia as well as EU delegates for support of the TE. • Informing the public* * about the benefits of the new legislation through public displays, conferences, public tribunes, press conferences, TV and radio shows, newspaper articles…
HOW DOES SCTC SEE THE ROLE OF NGOs IN SUPPORTING THE LEGISLATION? – A MODEL OF GOOD PRACTICE. • A special focus was on the young population, so we organized non smoking festivals and parties before the implementation of the legislation, motivational and educational camps for high school students, a teenager to teenager education, sports events, visiting schools for the education purposes, implementing the young (O2 belongs to you, electronic development society of young digital artists to use multimedia and marketing approaches – leaflets production).
HOW DOES SCTC SEE THE ROLE OF NGOs IN SUPPORTING THE LEGISLATION? – A MODEL OF GOOD PRACTICE. • Radio shows at radio MARŠ an independent, well established youth and intellectuals radio station. Focusing on the Northeast Slovenian Youth where the rates of young smokers is much higher than in other parts of the Country. • All the efforts are constructed so that they involve the process of identification with sport stars or activities with other non smoking youngsters, slogans for names of activities such as 'Free hands, clean lungs, Your youth, your responsibility and visual, digital multimedia marketing strategies to present smoking as 'uncool' as the direct opposite to the marketing strategies of the tobacco industry. • Numerous efforts in media, writing to the members of Parliament, to the President and local authorities.
HOW DOES SCTC SEE THE ROLE OF NGOs IN SUPPORTING THE LEGISLATION? – A MODEL OF GOOD PRACTICE. • Currently we are at the stage of writing an SCTC manifest for support of the newly implemented legislation and implementing the TE, visiting hospitality industry, participating in public and media debates on the topics, fairs (Nature - Health), presentation of activities and help lines to student population on their assembly and gatherings, etc.. * debates are usually eye openers and the interactions between experts and public reduces the space for argument manipulation ** public has to be informed in order to feel engaged and educated
HOW TO LOBY? • In today's presentation we have highlighted some terms and explained why they are the terms* to be used when implementing tobacco control legislations. • The highlighted terms are the keywords to be used in argumentation for their importance can in the heat of discussion be diminished. Therefore focus and collective efforts with, on different levels simultaneously, is the way to go. • The vital thing is that we do not loose focus on what we have set ourselves to do. So again and again we have to remind ourselves and others that our efforts will result in ensuring healthier environments, tobacco free, for us but also for the ones still to come. It is a higher goal and it is a goal we, together, can achieve.
PRESENTATION OF THE NEW SLOVENIAN TOBACCO LEGISLATION THANK YOU!
