Sky-High Smoking Rates – a Headache for Russian Health Authorities

The recent surveys show that nearly 60 percent of adult men and 40 percent of adult women across Russia are regular smokers.

Leonid Lazebnik, Chairman of Moscow Health Department said that the growing number of smokers would result in increased number of severe diseases caused by smoked, which might lead a “nationwide epidemic”, as the teenage smoking rates are growing too.

Dr. Lazebnik admitted that the future of the country is clouded, since most of adult male population tried to smoke. In the 1980s, only 30 percent of adult men smoke in Russia and just 5 percent of adult women.

Moreover, he cited the 2009 survey, which showed that 25 percent of all Moscow citizens consume tobacco, and more than 65 percent of adolescents said they tried to smoke at least one, what is more than notorious, according to the chairman of Moscow Health Department.

Although Dr. Lazebnik didn’t provide information related to the spread of health complications caused by tobacco, Federal officials, invited to the conference, promised to adopt a set of laws to limit sales of tobacco products, increase duties on tobacco products and ban smoking in public spaces.

Yulia Grimalskaya, deputy head of the Department of Family and Youth stated that the State would lose the war against tobacco if stringent anti-smoking measures would not be launched.

She also said sales of cigarettes in kiosks should be prohibited and high fines for selling tobacco to minors should be imposed.

Nikolai Gerasimenko, head of State Duma Commission on Health, admitted they are about to introduce a law for a twofold increase in excise tobacco taxes to make the cigarettes not affordable to teenagers.

Russia has the lowest taxes on tobacco products in the region.

In addition, to conventional anti-smoking measures, including tax increases, Russian Health authorities also consider prohibiting all tobacco ads, creating smoke-free spaces in restaurants and commercial centers in hopes to attract more tourists to the country.

Mr. Gerasimenko stated that multinational tobacco groups are investing millions of dollars to keep smoking rates growing, turning a blind eye to health complications their products cause.

The head of State Duma Commission on Health said that leading cigarette makes, including Philip Morris International, have been making money at the country’s expense.

“They get their profits, while the state is spending millions treating diseases caused by smoking,” he complained.

Yulia Grimalskaya also stated that both the adolescents and adults should be educated regarding the dangers of tobacco consumption through various anti-smoking campaigns. The Department of Family and Youth has introduced several nationwide campaigns that include TV adverts and billboards depicting smokers with holding dirty fabric, symbolizing smokers’ dirty lungs.

According to a poll, similar national anti-smoking campaign performed in 2009, led to a 7 percent decrease in adult smoking rates, yet the information on adolescent smoking rates was unclear.