Moscow: Quit Smoking, Thank You!

According to a report by the Russian newspaper "Komsomolskaya Pravda" on October 10, a social campaign called "Quit smoking, thank you!" has been launched in Moscow, Russia. This campaign is led by the Public Council and aims to address the issue of youth smoking, with support from the Youth Policy Committee of the Russian State Duma. Russia's national, commercial, and social organizations have jointly initiated an advertising campaign against the sale of cigarettes and nicotine-containing products (such as e-cigarettes) to minors. The initial phase of this project has been implemented in various regions including St. Petersburg, Leningrad, Yaroslavl, Smolensk, Pskov, Novosibirsk, and Veliky Novgorod.

the participants of this event will oversee the enforcement of the law prohibiting the sale of cigarettes and nicotine products to minors. Anna Sorochinskaya, the Executive Director of the Public Council on Youth Smoking Issues, emphasized

We must strictly enforce the regulations prohibiting the sale of cigarettes and nicotine-containing products to minors, as this ban has been in effect for nearly three years, with the restriction on selling cigarettes to minors in place for almost twenty years. However, these products are still accessible to teenagers. We understand that addressing this issue requires the collective efforts of government agencies, responsible manufacturers and retailers, as well as various social organizations.

Artem Kiryanov, Deputy Chairman of the Economic Policy Committee of the Russian State Duma, emphasized the importance of social supervision in implementing existing legal limitations. He believes that it is necessary to continue improving the law, particularly by updating and distinguishing the concepts of "advertising" and "information" in the "Advertising Law." This would be beneficial for honest market participants, regulatory agencies, and adult consumers.