The 220th “Health and Life” conference, centered on the theme of a “Tobacco-Free Hospital” and aimed at exposing the false advertising of the tobacco industry, was held at the Hazrat Mahdi (AS) Hospital conference hall, coinciding with National and World No Tobacco Day.
According to the Public Relations of the Association, the event—organized in collaboration with the Imam Khomeini Hospital Complex under the slogan “Exposing the Allure and False Advertising for a Tobacco-Free Generation”—addressed strategies for creating clean healthcare environments and countering the tactics used to attract youth to tobacco products.
During this specialized symposium, held on Sunday morning, senior national health officials alongside specialists in pulmonary and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) emphasized the critical importance of transforming hospitals into completely smoke-free environments to serve as pioneering models in the healthcare system.
The speakers examined the scientific and social dimensions of tobacco-related harms and outlined the necessary measures to combat the deceptive marketing of the tobacco industry. Prominent figures who shared their expert insights on achieving a tobacco-free generation included:
- Dr. Alireza Raisi, Deputy Minister of Health
- Dr. Mohammadreza Masjedi, Secretary-General of the Iranian Anti-Tobacco Association (IATA)
- Dr. Abdolrahman Rostamian, Head of the Imam Khomeini Hospital Complex
- Dr. Besharat Rahimi, Pulmonologist
- Dr. Afshin Ostovar, Head of the Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) Unit at the WHO Country Office in Iran
The conference concluded by highlighting the vital social responsibility of cultural and sports institutions, alongside healthcare centers, in promoting and elevating public health.
