Russian leader, Vladimir Putin, wants to kick smokers’ butts by introducing the harshest cigarette laws ever conceived by a government.
The clean living, fitness freak loathes people smoking around him and wants everyone in his country to snub out their filthy habit. Under plans to rid Russia of tobacco once and for all, anyone born after 2015 would be banned from buying cigarettes.
In fact it will be deemed as bad as buying illegal drugs.
But while Putin‘s measures seem harsh, desperate measures are perhaps called for. About 43 per cent of the Russian population lights up — down from 60 per cent last year.
Despite tax rises, smokes are cheap compared to Western Europe, with a packet of Marlboro costing just AU$1.82.
Smoking is already against the law in Russian workplaces, housing block stairwells, buses and commuter trains and within 15 metres of train stations and airports.
There is a petition that has been signed by over 100,000 people against the banning of smoking – this figure is set to rise.
by Robbo Green
