Abstract

Objective: The current success of the implementation of the tobacco act is closely related to the perspective, knowledge and level of awareness of enforcing agencies. The aim our study was to identify the levels of awareness and responsibility regarding the tobacco law of employees of public institution members of Malatya Provincial Tobacco Control Committee (PTCC).

Materials and Methods: A questionnaire was carried out with 305 employees of public institution members of PTCC. In the questionnaire, the demographic data, smoking characteristics, attitudes to smoking after changing the law and their opinions about the functioning of the law were obtained and they were asked how they had learnt about the law and their thoughts on individual and corporate responsibility.

Results: The mean age was 35.9±8.9 years. 73.1% males, 92.1% high school and 58.4% were university. smokers. The rate of smoking in the Tuberculosis Dispensary was higher than in other institutions (75%). The greatest decrease in the smoking rate after the law was seen in Police Department (51%). 77% of the cases were informed through the media about the law, while 6% of them learned through the authority of the institution, 81.3% of the cases supported the law. 30% know that cigarettes can be smoked at their institution and 22.3% continue the cigarette selling despite banning. A quarter of employees do not feel responsibility regarding the law.

Conclusion: In public institution members of PTCC, the law is not sufficiently functional. The levels of awareness and responsibility regarding the tobacco law of employees of public institution members of NTCC were insufficient.