The 13th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health

Objective: There is no a monument to remember victims of tobacco use. To motivate different governmental and non-governmental organizations to built a monument and to sign an official declaration about the principles, policies and practices of fighting against the use of tobacco among young people in Romania

Methods: Saturday September 6, 2003, Romanian Presidential Administration, Health Minister, Romanian National Anti-Drug Agency, Explorers for the Future Association, Romanian Seventh Day Adventist Church and over 5000 people participated at the dedication of the first World Monument dedicated to the memory of those over 60 millions people killed by smoking between 1959 and 2000 and kept a moment of silence.

Results: An official declaration was signed by over 3000 people and addressed to politicians to accelerate the implementation of European Union recommendation and to treat tobacco plague with more responsibility. The declaration has been sent to all Romanian Embassies in the world, all news agencies, politicians, NGO's. The monument is made of black and white marble and has graved the text:” In memory of those over 60 millions people who died because of smoking all over the world 1950-2000. As a protest for the continuing use of cigarettes, cause of more than 50 diseases and death of more than 8000 people per day.” International and national coverage of this event has been a signal to motivate official to take in consideration this serious problem, in a country with 46% male and 28% female smokers. Recently Romania has ratified the FCTC