The activities of the Alcohol and Drug Information Center (ADIC)-Ukraine 
in tobacco control

The idea of ADIC-Ukraine appeared in 1993 as result of the WHO conference “Alcohol and other drugs problems in rapidly changing socio-economic environments”, which was held in Kiev. The idea became real after Konstantin Krasovsky worked in the Alcohol, Drugs and Tobacco unit of the WHO Regional Office for Europe in 1994. ADIC-Ukraine was founded in 1995. ADIC-Ukraine is a non-governmental, non-profit, professional organization. It has an independent status in relation to other organizations in Ukraine. ADIC-Ukraine cooperates with the World Health Organization and other international organizations as well as various public, private and voluntary organizations in Ukraine and other countries.

While the primary interest of ADIC-Ukraine was alcohol and illegal drugs, very soon tobacco control became one of its priorities.

In 1996, ADIC actively participated in a campaign to ban tobacco advertising in Ukraine. ADIC-Ukraine took part in the preparation of the project of a National Program for counteraction to tobacco use. ADIC-Ukraine was the co-organizer of the WHO training seminar “A Global Approach to strengthening tobacco control” for Central and Eastern Europe and the National Conference on Tobacco Control Policy, which were held in Kiev in October 1997. Since 1997, ADIC-Ukraine has been issuing an annual report called «Tobacco or Health in Ukraine». In recognition of the efforts of ADIC-Ukraine, its director Konstantin Krasovsky was appointed a member of the governmental Coordinating Board on Tobacco Control.

In 1998, ADIC-Ukraine published a booklet entitled «The Main Facts on Tobacco». In 1999, several publications were issued. A handbook for primary health care workers on substance abuse includes a lot of materials on tobacco. Special booklets were issued for those who have quit smoking and for their relatives and friends. In the booklet for parents on substance abuse prevention, tobacco is considered on the same level as alcohol and illegal drugs. Since 1999, ADIC-Ukraine has been developing its own web site (http://adic-ukraine.narod.ru). In 1999, ADIC-Ukraine conducted the Ukrainian part of the Global Youth Tobacco Survey.

In 2000, a booklet for teachers on the efficiency of school smoking prevention programs was issued. The tobacco control site http://contacttobinfo.narod.ru includes useful information in Russian. Since February 2000, a monthly electronic newsletter entitled “NOSMOKING” has been issued. A project called “The development of tobacco prevention educational materials for teachers and peer leaders oriented on youth problems and values” was developed in cooperation with UNICEF. The project goal was to create instruments that would allow teachers and peer leaders to address tobacco-related problems in young people’s lives. The set of 3 booklets (400 pages in total) was issued in October 2000. Two other booklets, “A Survival Kit for Non-Smokers” and “How I quit smoking (60 life stories)” were also issued with the support of UNICEF.

In 2001, ADIC-Ukraine was one of the founders of the NGO Coalition for Tobacco Free Ukraine. The main Coalition activities are covered at the web-site http://adic-ukraine.narod.ru/coalition, hosted by ADIC-Ukraine. It is the first site on tobacco control to be written in Ukrainian. In 2001, ADIC-Ukraine issued booklets entitled «Problems of tobacco control legislation» and «The Light Lie» (about light cigarettes).

The representatives of ADIC-Ukraine took part in many international conferences on tobacco control.