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Hrant Vardanyan: Masis Tobacco operates without downtime 

Masis Tobacco operates without downtime and has not incurred the crisis impact, Grand Holding owner Hrant Vardanyan told journalists. The factory, he said, has 1600 permanent employees and 1050 seasonal workers. "Crisis has not affected our work; on the contrary, we had new job openings. All difficulties are possible to overcome if one uses common sense. Over the whole period of our work we have never sought Government's financial assistance," entrepreneur said, adding that per kilogram price for tobacco leaves comprised AMD 73 which the company paid to villagers.

Touching on possible opening of Armenian-Turkish border, Vardanyan noted that it created good opportunities for Armenia, considering Turkey's big market

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"TOBACCO-FREE ARMENIA" ALLIANCE CALLS UPON PARLIAMENTARIANS TO FIGHT AGAINST SMOKING  

The public alliance for "Tobacco-free Armenia" delivered a message to members of the new Armenian parliament calling upon them to implement the provisions of the Anti-tobacco framework convention of World Health Organization in the country.

The members of the alliance expressed hope that the new parliament will do its best to build up independent, prospering and powerful homeland.

In its message the alliance urged the parliamentarians to ensure citizens' right of clean environment and to clear confined public space from tobacco smoke, to conduct effective price and tax policies toward the tobacco companies.

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Standard Mechanisms Of Tobacco Addiction Treatment To Be Worked Out In Armenia 

Armenia recently presented the first national report on implementation of the World Health Organization's Frame Concention on Fight against Smoking, which took effect in the country in 2005. Alexandr Bazarchian, coordinator of the Antismoking Program of the RA Ministry of Health, told this to NT correspondent. According to him, the report contains respective legislative amendments, as well as information about the work implemented and to be done.

He said that in particular, cigarette advertising will gradually stop in the next 5 years, while starting from 2008, the warning about danger of smoking to human health will cover no less than 30% of packs of cigarettes produced in Armenia. Besides, the report contains statistical data on tobacco addiction in Armenia.

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• ARMENIA TO PRESENT ANTI-SMOKING REPORT TO WHO 

Next year Armenia will have to present to the World Health Organization (WHO) its first report on implementation of commitments it has assumed by joining the Framework Convention on Anti-Tobacco Struggle. Armenia ratified the Framework Convention in 2004.    According to Alexander Bazarchian, the coordinator of the national anti-tobacco campaign, Armenia's main commitments set by the Convention are the passage of an anti-tobacco legislation, enforcement of a full ban on tobacco advertisement before 2010 and the gradual rise of tobacco products prices and besides

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• Tobacco Tycoon Threatens To Close Shop In Armenia 

Hrant Vartanian, a wealthy businessman who owns Armenia’s two main tobacco companies, warned on Thursday that he will close down his factories and move them abroad if the Armenian dram continues to appreciate against the dollar.

“We are now making plans to move some of our manufacturing operations to Georgia and Russia in order to produce things there and import them to Armenia,” he told RFE/RL. “If the dollar continues to fall at this pace, we will resort to that step in the next four or five months in order to save our business.”

The dram has gained more than 30 percent in value against the dollar in the last two and a half years, significantly raising production costs of local firms dependent on exports. Vartanian’s Grand Tobacco and International Masis Tobacco firms not only account for much of cigarette sales in Armenia but also sell a large part of their products, notably fermented tobacco leafs, abroad.

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Patterns of smoking behavior among physicians in Yerevan, Armenia 

Conclusion

Smoking prevalence is high among physicians in the 12 health care facilities in Yerevan, and a large percentage of physician smoke in the presence of their patients. Physician smoking behavior and knowledge of smoking related health outcomes in Yerevan influences whether they counsel patients regarding smoking.

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World No-Tobacco Day 

The WHO calls on all the individuals and organizations join the combat against tobacco. At present, according to Alexander Bazarchyan, the coordinator of the tobacco control program of the Ministry of Health, the number of smokers does not tend to increase in Armenia.

"If six years ago 63% of men and 1.2% of women smoked, now the percentage of smoking men has decreased by 5-6%. As for women, if they used to conceal the fact that they smoke, not they do it more manifestly. In the capital 9% of 55-64-year old women and 5% of the 25-30-year-old women smoke. In the regions their number is much lower," Alexander Bazarchyan says and adds that the children make their first serious attempts of smoking at the age of 13-15.

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Anti-Smoking Center to Charge $50 Dollars to Help Get Rid Of Dangerous Habit 

Smokers wishing to give up this pernicious habit can from now on pay $50 to doctors of a special anti-smoking center who will help by medications and psychological consultations to quit smoking.

The center was inaugurated yesterday at a Yerevan hospital.

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Anti-Smoking Center To Charge $50 To Help Get Rid Of Dangerous Habit 

Smokers wishing to give up this pernicious habit can from now on pay $50 to doctors of a special anti-smoking center who will help by medications and psychological consultations to quit smoking.

The center was inaugurated yesterday at a Yerevan hospital.

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Armenian Tobacco Tycoon To Open Plant In Georgia 

Armenia's leading tobacco tycoon confirmed on Friday reports about his plans to expand his cigarette production and sales into neighboring Georgia.

Hrant Vartanian told RFE/RL that he will invest $4 million over the next two years in a cigarette factory which is currently built in Tbilisi by his Grand Tobacco firm and his Georgian business partners. Vartanian said Grand Tobacco will have a controlling 51 stake in the joint venture to be called Best. It will start production operations by the beginning of October, he added.

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• Armenian Smoking Ban Widely Defied 

Armenia's first-ever restrictions on smoking in public places appear to be widely flouted by tobacco addicts more than one month after their much-publicized introduction.

A special law that banned smoking in hospitals, cultural and educational institutions and public transportation means went into force on March 2. It was touted as the first phase of a government drive to curb tobacco use in the country. But skeptics warned at the time that the measure will likely prove ineffectual because the authorities have not put in place any mechanisms, including fines, for enforcing them.

There is little evidence of compliance with the smoking ban at the institutions covered by the law. "It is clearly not working," said Mels Sahakian, a professor of economics at Yerevan State University. "There are still no special places set aside for smokers."

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Armenia Imposes First Curbs On Smoking 

Armenia's first-ever anti-tobacco drive officially kicked off on Wednesday with the introdcution of a complete ban on smoking in hospitals, cultural and educational institutions and public transportation facilities.

Officials said the measures mark "the first phase" in the implementation of a relevant law that was passed by parliament late last year and is aimed at gradually banning cigarettes from all public places. Sales of cigarettes to individuals below the age of 18 will also be illegal from now on.

"The next phase will take effect a year later," said Alik Bazarchian, the anti-smoking program coordinator of the Armenian Ministry of Health. "It will restrict smoking in public places, business enterprises and other indoor areas."

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Armenian Men top the list of European smokers 

The law on restrictions on sale, consumption and use of tobacco products, enforced today, outlaws smoking in public transport, cultural, educational and health institutions. It was passed by the Armenian National Assembly last month after being twice rejected by lawmakers, some of them the biggest cigarette producers and importers. The parliament also ratified the Framework Convention on Tobacco control (FCTC). One of the requirements of FCTC is to follow the World Health Organization's standard of health warning covering 30 percent of the cigarette pack.

However that portion of the law would become mandatory only by 2008.

Cigarette advertising will be outlawed by 2010. Statistics say more than 70 percent of Armenian men are smokers, topping the list of European smokers

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ARMENIAN PUBLIC HEALTH ALLIANCE AND COALITION FOR TOBACCO-FREE ARMENIA 

The "Law on the restrictions on tobacco realization, consumption and usage" of the Republic of Armenia comes into force on March 2.

The international treaty developed under the auspices of the World Health Organization, the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) has come into operation since February 27. The problem of the development of legislative base for controlling tobacco was given the possible in the current conditions solution, and thus, the struggle against tobacco in our country is entering into a new stage.

The Armenian Public Health Alliance and the Coalition for Tobacco Free Armenia extend their greetings to the compatriots on these milestone events and look forward to successive and effective implementation of comprehensive tobacco control measures in line with the principles of the Convention.

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Armenia Will Supply Cigarettes To Iraq 

Armenian producers have agreed on supply on cigarettes to Iraq in the current year.

Talking to ARMINFO, President of the Armenian LTD International Masis Tabak Michael Vardanyan says that an oral agreement on this was reached last year when Iraqi specialists visited Armenia

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