Russia May Ban Cigarette Sales to Anyone Born After December 31, 2009

The Russian government is considering a bill that would ban the sale of cigarettes and nicotine-containing products to anyone born after December 31, 2009. This was reported by the press service of the Russian Ministry of Health. The department clarifies that this issue is currently being worked out with interested executive authorities. The Ministry of Health itself fully supports the idea of ​​introducing a ban.

According to the authors of the initiative, who are representatives political The New People party says that the bill they have proposed is fully consistent with the principles of state policy to combat tobacco consumption. In support of their position, they cite data from VTsIOM, according to which 25% of Russians aged 18 to 24 smoke several cigarettes daily.



However, as it turns out, not everyone in the government supports the idea of ​​banning the sale of cigarettes to those born after December 31, 2009. The Ministry of Finance, for example, believes that the proposed bill directly contradicts the Constitution of the Russian Federation, which does not allow restrictions on the rights of citizens who have reached the age of majority.

Moreover, the introduction of a corresponding ban will provoke an increase in the consumption of illegal products. And the revenues to the state treasury will be significantly reduced.

We will add that doubts about the advisability of adopting the bill have already been expressed by Rosalkogoltobakkontrol. They note that from April to September of this year alone, 530,94 tons of illegal tobacco and nicotine-containing products were imported into the Russian Federation.

Let us recall that it is currently prohibited in Russia to sell tobacco and nicotine-containing products to persons under the age of majority.