The new law against smoking in public places goes into effect June 1st and we’re watching this story with great interest. Some polls say that 40% of Russians smoke, one of the highest percentages in the world.
A recent poll of Russians on the potential effectiveness of the ban shows that neither smokers or non smokers are confident that the ban will curb smoking in public.
The ban, signed into law by President Putin, will include all public sites, including government buildings, health care and educational facilities, cultural sites, sports stadiums and on public transport. In 2014 the law will also ban smoking in movies and TV programs unless smoking is part of the story plot or a character’s image.