Russia is following recent legislation trends in smoking around the world as the government has approved a harsh anti-smoking ban to take effect from 2015. If passed the legislation would prohibit smoking in any public place including restaurants and cafes.
Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has been persistent in pushing for this legislation.
“This is a big problem and we are too careless about it,” he noted while addressing the ministers after the discussion.
“We have to move towards civilization, like the rest of the world. And this will bring in an effect that will be measured in human lives,” he said.
One out of every three persons in Russia is a smoker, making up some 44 million smokers according to a statistics offered by the Prime Minister.
The legislation is not a governmental war on smokers, but on smoking itself, Medvedev said in his videoblog recently.
Tobacco addicts are wary of the threat the law poses on them as it will greatly affect them. The law stipulates a smoking ban in state offices, educational, medical, sports and cultural facilities, public transportation, playgrounds, along with public areas in residential buildings. The legislation will also prohibit advertising of tobacco products.
Now that the draft has been approved by the government, it is to be approved by the Russian State Duma and then by the Federation Council.
