Let's have Smoke Free Environment!

Joining hand with the world community, the Ministry of Health and Medical Education in Iran celebrated No Tobacco Day on 31 May 2007. The theme of this year focused on smoke-free environments as the only effective measure to protect the public from exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke. In addition to the Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Municipality, WHO and other UN agencies, several activist groups and organizations, media as well as a number of families participated in the event. Dr. Seyed Moayed Alvian, Deputy Minster for Health, in his inaugural address highlighted the extent of the problems and mentioned the national strategies for controlling smoking and its effects. The message of Dr. Hussein Gezairy, WHO Regional Director of Eastern Mediterranean Region, was also read in the meeting. WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco control was specially highlighted in the meeting with appreciation of the precise measures the regional countries and Islamic Republic of Iran have taken so far.

On this occasion, an award was presented to Dr. Seyed Moayed Alvian by WHO in recognition of his outstanding services for no smoking initiatives in Iran.