Russia has agreed to impose a complete ban on cigarette advertising.
Government officials have supported the accession of Russia to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. A decision was made today during a meeting of Cabinet ministers of Russia. Same Convention entered into force on 27 February 2005. Its participants five years allotted for the implementation of the ban on tobacco advertising. Three years given the fact that cigarette packages with the inscription appeared clearly visible warning of the dangers of smoking. This paper aims at protecting government health from smoking - by taking tax and price measures, imposing strict rules of advertising and sponsorship, illicit trade. The Convention was adopted in May 2003 at 56 - and the World Health Assembly.
Russia Accession to the convention would enable the country to participate fully in the work of the main organs of the World Health Organization, and will promote a healthy lifestyle and improve the health of Russians, told the ITAR-TASS news agency, the press service of the Government. Russia will have to prepare a programme to combat smoking. MHSD has actually completed a draft national strategy for tobacco control and the draft plan of implementation, as well as proposals for the creation of the National Coordinating Body for Tobacco Control, the ITAR-TASS news agency said.
According head of Committee on Health Duma Nikolai Gerasimenko, in 2006 from diseases caused by smoking, died 400 thousand Russians. In doing so, the production of cigarettes in Russia grows annually. Until 1995, Russia produced about 200 billion cigarettes annually. In 2006, it produced 413 billion cigarettes, and consumption stood at 375 billion cigarettes. According to WHO, in the world today, every six seconds, one person dies of diseases associated with cigarette smoking, and for that reason, every year 5 million die people. If the trend rising prevalence of smoking would not fall, then by 2020 will die prematurely each year 10 million people, and by 2030, tobacco smoking will be one of the most powerful factors leading to a premature death.
