In what can be termed a radical stance against tobacco consumption, Russia has plans to ban the sale of cigarettes to anyone born after 2015. The country has already put up restrictions on public smoking since 2013.
But even those who advocate this proposal have doubts about the practicality of such a ban. Many are concerned that this could result in fake tobacco being sold in the black market which would be an even worse public health hazard. However Nikolai Gerasimenko, a member of Russian parliament’s health committee, seems confident about the big decision. “This goal is absolutely ideologically correct,” he is quoted by The Times as saying.
It is likely that such a move will face stiff opposition from tobacco companies but health statistics are encouraging. The number of smokers in Russia has reduced by ten per cent in the year 2016, reports Tass news agency.
