Russians hit by health bug

The incidence of tobacco smoking has dropped significantly in Russia during the past five years, according to a story in The Moscow Times citing a report in the Kommersant business daily.
The number of adult smokers is said to have fallen 22 percent over five years, while there has been a ‘threefold decrease in smoking among minors’.
“Looking back at the past 5-7 years, we managed to partially overcome bad habits like smoking thanks to a progressive law against tobacco smoking,” Health Minister Veronika Skvortsova was quoted as saying.
At the same time, Skvortsova was able to report that Russia’s alcohol consumption had dropped by 80 percent during the past five years.
The Times story said that the latest World Health Organization figures put Russia’s alcohol consumption below that of France and Germany, though it wasn’t clear whether the figures compared total consumptions or per capita consumptions.
The consumer-rights watchdog, Rospotrebnadzor, was said to have credited new minimum price laws, advertising bans and sales restrictions for the drop in alcohol consumption.
And while drinking and smoking are going down, exercising is going up. About 40 percent more Russians are said to have become involved in sports during the past five years.