• collaboration of all 7 Faculties of Medicine
• tobacco education coordinator nominated by the Dean on each Faculty of Medicine
• implementing the tobacco issue into the medical curricula
• prevalence of smoking among medical students and staff (see below)
• individual epidemiological work aimed on smoking prevalence (Prague) or smoking cessation among pregnant women and other patients (Brno)
• special seminar 2-8 hours (smoking prevalence, health consequences of smoking,
  psychosocial and drug dependence, nicotine withdrawal syndrom, nicotine replacement therapy, 4A Method („Minimal Intervention"), doctor and smoking, tobacco control and legislation
• similar educational programme has been developed for medical high schools (future nurses) – control study has been organised in 6 districts (Brno) and is ready for dissemination

Postgraduate:

• national standardised education: 2 two-day courses of smoking cessation methods in the institute of health professionals´ postgraduate education (a written test at the end)
• many seminars for doctors and nurses (duration several hours) across the country
• booklet „Smoking Cessation Methods in Doctors´ Everyday Practice" recommended by the Czech Medical Association (CMA) published for GPs, pneumologists, pediatricians, and obstetricians.
• one page advertising promoting the 4A Method in all medical journals edited by the Czech Medical Association (about 15 leading medical journals in the country)
• brief consultation to all pregnant women about risks of active and passive smoking started in 3 districts in the frame of a controlled study

Nicotine replacement therapy is available in pharmacies as OTC, more than 60 smoking cessation clinic are working across the country (at least one day in the week). Among all doctors, the „Minimal Intervention (4A)" is recommended. It is necessary to change the health care conception: smoking cessation is not paid by any health insurance company.

Are mostly organised by the National Institute of Public Health (NIPH), public health centres across the country and NGOs (Cancer Leagues etc.). Examples:

• Quit and Win (NIPH), about 1,700 smokers took part
• „We Quit Smoking – Try it with Us" (CEZ, the main power producer in the country), about 20,000 participants
• World No Tobacco Day (mountain climbing, postmark – NIPH) and International No Smoking Day with seminars (CK EMASH) and press conferences
• Leaflets, booklets, and posters edited by the NIPH, Cancer League Prague, CEZ, Pharmacia+Upjohn
• TV and radio: impact on smoking, smoking cessation, some of these activities regularly sponsored by the CEZ in the frame of their programme „We Quit Smoking – Try it with Us" like weekly broadcasting during the whole year on the leading radio station
• Healthy cities, Health Promoting Schools, CINDI, Health Promoting Hospitals (NIPH)
• „Smoking and Me": a school-based programme for children 11-15 years, evaluated on 93 primary schools (with 93 control schools) with about 5,000 children. According to good effectiveness other 280 primary schools implemented this programme and the Ministry of Education of the CR included it into recommended teaching methods in the frame of „Drug Prevention Programme"
• research is concerned about damaging effects of smoking on human reproduction:

Tobacco advertising is unfortunately allowed in CR (except of TV and except of time restriction in radio) by the law about advertising regulation 40/1995. A new version (compatibile to the directive 43/98/EC ) of this law is prepared and is on the Parliament list for the year 2000 (in the frame of the complex tobacco control law).

All mentioned points are included in the bill on protection against tobacco impact. The draft is now discussed and is on the Parliament list for the year 2000.

Except of the existing (since 1992) Czech Committee of European Medical Association Smoking or Health this Coalition was created in June 1998. It has about 30 members, mostly non-governamental organisations.

Tobacco products are a part of the consumer price index. The real price of a cigarette pack unfortunately decreased since 1989: 

Source: Opinion Pool Institute, Prague, population 15+

Number of daily smoked cigarettes:

Source: Opinion Pool Institute, Prague, smokers in the population 15+

Source: Kralíková,E., regular yearly surveys with about 1,000-2,000 respondents, medical students are from the 5^th year of the First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague

Boys and girls, prevalence of regular smoking = at least once a week

Age:	11-12		13-14		15-16
	1994	1998	1994	1998	1994	1998
boys+girls	1.9%	1.4%	5.8%	9.8%	13.9%	20.1%
boys	2.3%	1.4%	7.3%	10.4%	15.9%	23.4%
girls	1.5%	1.2%	4.2%	7.9%	11.9%	16.7%

Source: Csemy,L. and others: Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children: A WHO Cross-National Study, NIPH

Consumption per capita in pieces:

Source: Statistical Yearbook of the Czech Republic

Source: Statistical Yearbook of the Czech Republic

Source: Statistical Yearbook of the Czech Republic