Smoking in Russia

The Russian News and Information Agency recently wrote an article about Russia's house of parliament that recently ratified on a global convention against smoking, which the World Health Organization (WHO) says kills 5 million people across the world annually.

The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) is designed to make it easier for national governments to implement tobacco controls, including a ban on tobacco advertising and sponsorship. Such steps on banning advertising could prevent millions of people from picking up the smoking habit. Which clearly is a good thing.

Under this new convention, tobacco advertising will be banned completely within five years from. In addition heath warnings should occupy at least 30% of cigarette packaging within three years.

In recent years, tobacco producers have shifted their focus on the developing world, where about 70% of tobacco is now consumed. It is good to see the World Health Organization working to fight tobacco companies and banning their advertising in Russia and throughout the world.