ATHENS – Professor Panagiotis Behrakis, Pulmonologist – Intensivist, and head of the Smoke Free Greece initiative of the Hellenic Cancer Society, was honored by the World Health Organization (WHO), in recognition of his efforts in the global anti-smoking movement.
Dr. Behrakis, who is considered an expert in tobacco control worldwide, received the World No Tobacco Day Award for the European Region, at the annual awards ceremony held in Ljubliana on May 25, almost a week ahead of the World No Tobacco Day (WNTD), which is celebrated on May 31.
Every year, WHO recognizes individuals or organizations in each of the six WHO Regions for their accomplishments in the area of tobacco control. This recognition takes the form of WHO Director-General Special Recognition Awards, World No Tobacco Day Awards, and in 2023, one WHO Director-General’s Special Recognition Certificate.
In a statement, the Hellenic Cancer Society said that Dr. Panagiotis Behrakis is considered an expert of global standing in controlling tobacco smoking, and represents Greece in the European Union’s and WHO’s activities related to smoking. He is also a coordinator of the European program “Joint Action I on Tobacco Control”.
Besides serving as the Director of the Institute of Public Health of The American College of Greece, Dr. Behrakis is the President of the Scientific Committee of the European Network for Smoking and Tobacco Prevention, a member of the Board of Regents of the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP), founder of “George D. Behrakis RESEARCH LAB” of the Hellenic Cancer Society, an investigator at the Biomedical Research Foundation of Athens Academy and a focal point of WHO’s World Tobacco Organization for Tobacco Control in Greece.
