Smoking down in Russia

The share of smokers in Russia has dropped to 31 percent from 41 percent since 2009, reports the Tass press agency, quoting Oleg Salagay, director of the Russian Health Ministry’s Public Health and Communications Department.

“All independent surveys, which are either underway or were conducted before, reveal a decline in (tobacco) consumption in Russia,” Salagay was quoted as saying.

A key driver of the decline, according to experts, has been Russia’s 2013 tobacco law, which introduced new restrictions on tobacco consumption and promotion.

The law includes a ban on advertising and sponsorship, and imposes restrictions on smoking in public places.

“Experts believe that the smoking ban in public places has made the biggest contribution to Russia’s falling tobacco consumption rate,” said Salagay. “That is why we are very cautious about the appearance of electronic cigarettes.”

Earlier TASS reported that the Russian Health Ministry had drafted a new anti-tobacco initiative, which bans the “spread” of e-cigarettes along with combustible ones.