Around 52-55 percent of men in Armenia are smokers, the Health Ministry's Public Health Department Chief Alexander Bazarchyan stated during a press conference on Friday, and added that these numbers are declining, News.am reported.
And with respect to Armenian women who smoke, their number is very low in rural communities, and 6-7 percent of women in the capital Yerevan are smokers. In Bazarchyan's view, these women smoke primarily for the society, that is, to establish themselves and to be perceived as being free.
In his words, 3,000-4,000 people die in Armenia every year as a result of smoking-related diseases.
And reflecting on the legal battle against smoking, Alexander Bazarchyan pointed to the matter of banning smoking in public places.