The CEO of Healthy Initiatives, Nataliia Toropova, had the honor to participate in a high-level event hosted by Global Action to End Smoking at the Harvard Club in New York City last week. The event focused on insights, actions, and results in supporting smoking cessation around the world.
Together with other distinguished panelists, Nataliia contributed to a powerful discussion on how to assist people in underserved communities in quitting smoking — with particular attention to the connection between combustible tobacco use and mental health challenges.
She highlighted the barriers faced in countries like Ukraine, where the ongoing war has triggered a sharp rise in smoking rates and shifted personal priorities, making cessation efforts even more complex and urgent.
Panelists and participants agreed: quitting smoking is not just about willpower. It requires overcoming both physical and emotional dependence, dealing with a lack of structured cessation programs, and supporting individuals through deeply personal battles with addiction.
Healthy Initiatives is proud to lead an educational program across nine countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia to raise awareness, share knowledge, and support those who want to quit — even in the most difficult contexts. This work is part of a broader effort to bring practical solutions and hope to the people who need it most.
