WHO FCTC Article 14 enforcement in Albania: An urgent issue to tackle

Tobacco use is a major preventable risk factor for non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer etc. Smoking prevalence in Albania is high. The country ratified the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) in 2006 and has passed different bills and adopted strict tobacco control laws during the years. Despite this, there is a huge gap in primary healthcare (PHC) personnel education in this field. Additionally, tobacco treatment support facilities, such as free of charge telephone quit lines, tobacco treatment clinics in hospitals or in the community, are lacking or not well established. Training of healthcare professionals in evidence-based practices as well as the development of national guidelines on tobacco treatment, capacity building for tobacco treatment delivery, pharmacotherapy availability, public opinion awareness and promotion of smoking cessation practices are some of the measures Albanian policy makers should undertake.