Republic of Moldova pilots WHO tobacco- and nicotine-free schools initiative

The Republic of Moldova has taken an important step towards protecting the health of children and adolescents by piloting WHO's initiative on creating nicotine- and tobacco-free schools. The pilot phase, running until May 2026, is led by the Ministry of Education and Research in partnership with the Ministry of Health and the National Agency for Public Health.

This initiative, guided by the WHO toolkit, supports the development and implementation of nicotine- and tobacco-free school policy through a comprehensive approach, providing engaging activities, communication materials and endorsement of school regulation. It aims to create safe, supportive and completely tobacco- and nicotine-free school environments, where prevention is not a one-time effort, but a daily practice embedded in the school culture.

Five institutions are participating in the pilot: the Gheorghe Asachi and Matei Basarab secondary schools in Chisinau municipality, middle schools in the villages of Samascani (Soldanesti district) and Sadova (Calarasi district), and the Republican Secondary School "Ion Creanga" in Balti municipality.

School culture to protect students' health

The pilot school policy in the Republic of Moldova outlines a comprehensive set of rules and recommendations, including:

• a complete prohibition on the use of tobacco and nicotine products by students, teachers, staff and visitors on all indoor and outdoor school premises at all times;
• ensuring compliance with these rules throughout school property, on school transport and during all school-organized activities, whether they take place on the school grounds or elsewhere;
• structured prevention through continuous education, awareness-raising campaigns and the provision of appropriate information;
• support for people who use tobacco or nicotine products to quit;
• systematic monitoring of policy implementation to inform future policy actions and adjustments; and
• active participation of the entire school community in supporting a healthy, protective environment.
  

This initiative will document the progress achieved by schools throughout the pilot period, helping to enhance the policy and inform its further extension across the country.

"School plays a crucial role not only in academic learning, but also in shaping healthy habits," emphasized Valentina Olaru, State Secretary at the Ministry of Education and Research. "Through this pilot, we aim to ensure that students grow up in an environment that protects them from nicotine addiction and encourages informed, healthy choices."

Svetlana Nicolaescu, Deputy Secretary General of the Ministry of Health, reinforced the message: "Success depends on the involvement of the entire school community - students, teachers and parents. A nicotine- and tobacco-free school is a shared responsibility in protecting children's health."

Dr Miljana Grbic, WHO Representative in the Republic of Moldova, praised the country's leadership: "We are pleased to see the commitment of the country - its students, teachers and parents - to creating school environments where children grow up without exposure to tobacco and nicotine products."

Ambassadors for a healthier generation

A powerful aspect of the pilot is direct student engagement. Youth voices are shaping the campaign messaging and motivating their peers to embrace a lifestyle free from harmful products.

Students Simion Boltov and Arhip Bescorovainii reflected on why they chose to support the initiative: "Sports taught us that breathing, endurance and health make a difference. Our classmates who smoke get tired faster and cannot run as long. We wanted to send the message that choosing a tobacco-free life means more energy, better performance and greater self-confidence."

For many students, the initiative resonates on a personal level. As Gabriela Badia, a student involved in the campaign, put it: "We breathe freedom. Clean air. A clear mind. A healthy life."

At the "Ion Creanga" Secondary School in Balti municipality, the initiative is seen as an opportunity to mobilize even more young leaders. School principal Olga Elpujan expressed her wish: "We hope that as many students as possible will become ambassadors of this initiative, so that together we can promote informed choices for a healthy lifestyle."

Building on national and global reinforcement

The pilot is aligned with the Republic of Moldova's national tobacco control framework and the country's broader integrated addiction prevention approach. It also complements the development of the National Strategy on Drugs and Addictions for 2026-2032.

Recent data underscore the urgency: 12.7% of Moldovan adolescents aged 13-15 years currently use e-cigarettes, echoing global patterns. WHO estimates that 37 million children worldwide aged 13-15 years are currently using some form of tobacco and 14.7 million are using e-cigarettes.

Launched globally in 2023, the WHO nicotine- and tobacco-free schools policy initiative has already been implemented in Croatia, Czechia, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Ukraine.