Crna Gora Bez Dima [Smoke Free Montenegro] aims to provide the general public of Montenegro with the right to breathe smoke-free air by advocating for smoke-free zones within public spaces in Montenegro. The initiative was set up in 2017 by a group of locals and expats who were searching for smoke-free cafes and restaurants.
Robin Brown commented “We were all looking for the same thing, we wanted to know where we could enjoy a drink and something to eat and not have to worry about second-hand smoke”.
The group has utilised social media to grow its community and now has over 180 members, with this number increasing daily. One of its key successes is the development of an online map detailing smoke-free public spaces within Montenegro.
Alexandra Aubertin commented “The Crna Gora Bez Dima smoke-free map details around 34 places which are reported to be smoke-free. This map has been a really useful resource to both the public and tourists who want to enjoy a smoke-free environment”.
In fact from Sunday April 1st all the Food and Beverage outlets in Porto Montenegro are smoke-free indoors. Their PR Manager Danilo Kalezic commented "We are striving for a healthier and more enjoyable environment for our customers and therefore have made the decision to go smoke-free. We believe it is a step in the right direction and hope others will follow our example and help make bars and restaurants in Montenegro a more enjoyable experience for all”.
According to the World Health Organisation, Montenegro tops the list of countries that smoke the most cigarettes worldwide (1). Every year, more than 1407 of Montenegrins are killed by tobacco-related disease. More than 490 children (10-14 years old) and 169,900 adults (15+ years old) continue to use tobacco each day (2).
Second-hand smoke causes serious diseases and premature death and has been proven to cause lung cancer, heart disease, sudden infant death syndrome, low birth weight, and serious respiratory conditions (3, 4). Every year, exposure to second-hand smoke causes over 600,000 premature deaths worldwide (5). 25% of the people who die in Europe of cigarette smoke related diseases are passive smokers (6).
“The evidence is clear, there is no safe level of exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke. Many countries have already taken action. I urge all countries that have not yet done so to take this immediate and important step to protect the health of all, by passing laws requiring all indoor workplaces and public places to be 100% smoke-free.” — Dr. Margaret Chan, Director- General, World Health Organization.
In summary, Smoke Free Montenegro aims to:
1. advocate for healthier, smoke-free zones within public spaces, cafes and restaurants in Montenegro
2. maintain a map detailing smoke-free cafes and restaurants within Montenegro
3. share information about the health benefits of a smoke-free environment and the risks of passive smoking
4. establish certification for the public spaces who have adopted a no-smoking policy within Montenegro
Are you a café or a restaurant and are interested in our certification? Please contact us via our Facebook page.
We invite every citizen to join the community on Facebook www.facebook.com/groups/CrnaGoraBezDima and to add a direct shortcut to the map on their smartphone: www.bit.ly/CrnaGoraBezDima
Crna Gora Bes Dima thanks the Montenegrin authorities and all the members of its community for their support.
1. The Telegraph: Mapped: The countries that smoke the most cigarettes by Oliver Smith, 31 MAY 2017
2. https://tobaccoatlas.org/country/montenegro/
3 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta, 2006.
4 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. How tobacco smoke causes disease: the biology and behavioral basis for smoking-attributable disease: a report of the Surgeon General. Rockville, MD: Dept. of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Office of Surgeon General, 2010.
5 Oberg M et al. Worldwide burden of disease from exposure to second-hand smoke: a retrospective analysis of data from 192 countries. Lancet, 2010.
6 https://ec.europa.eu/health/tobacco/smoke-free_environments_en
