Bulgaria's Smoke-free Life Coalition launched the first Civil Smoke-Free Day on 22 January in Sofia City Centre to generate public support for the government's proposal to restore the 2009 complete ban on smoking in Bulgaria, which was cancelled due to pressure from the tobacco industry.

The Union has launched a new programme called PICTS – Program to Increase Catchment of Tuberculosis Suspects. The grand opening of the one-year programme funded by TB REACH was celebrated on 15 January 2012 at the Mandalay Divisional Health Department with a strong turnout from stakeholders and the media.

The Union aims to continually improve and widen the range of services offered to members worldwide. In June 2011, we conducted our first online survey, with 10,000 members, partners and contacts invited to share how they perceive The Union, its resources and benefits. More than 1,000 people responded!

A new economic report on the impact of tobacco use and tobacco taxation in Poland has been published by The Union. The high rate of smoking among Polish adults and youth continues to be a concern; and increasing tobacco taxes has been proven to reduce tobacco consumption. Download the report in English or Polish here.