Tobacco and Public Health - TCSC Indonesia

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PATTERNS OF SMOKING IN RUSSIA
Smoking was frequently associated with alcohol consumption and drug abuse. Among
boys who smoked 40% took alcoholic beverages at least once per month, while only
19% of non-smoking boys took alcohol. Thirty seven per cent of boys who smoked
used drugs once or more times, while only 6% of non-smoking boys used drugs once
or more times.
Vyshinsky (2002) reports that 46% boys and 38% girls in the age of 15–16 years
living in Moscow smoke. It is estimated that in Russia about 40% boys and 28% girls
in the age 15–17 years are current smokers (Skvortsova 2002).
In summary, nationwide smoking prevalence in Russia increased from approximately
50% in 1985 to 65–70% in men and from about 5% to 15–20% in women.
Peto et al. (1994) estimated that in 1990 smoking accounted for 30% of male and 4%
of female deaths in Russia. Proportion of death attributed to smoking was higher
for the age group 35–69 years: 42% and 6% for men and women, respectively. The
observed increase in smoking rates in Russia will contribute to further increase,
especially in women, of tobacco-related death.
Increases in smoking in Russia particularly in young people and women could be
largely attributed to the aggressive promotion practices employed by multinational
tobacco companies, including ‘seductive’ promotion primarily targeting women and
teenagers. Russia has relatively strict laws limiting tobacco advertising. Although cigarette
ads have been banned on TV, and printed advertisements must carry health warnings,
tobacco products are among the most heavily advertized in this country. The
multinational companies have devised a myriad of marketing tricks to win over
Russian consumers. Tobacco companies sponsor different cultural events such as, for
example, art exhibitions, competitions and tournaments in music and sport. In Russia
you still can see free distribution of cigarettes in the streets, at different sport and rock
events, which attract mostly young people and teens. But what is most outrageous is
that cigarettes were imported to Russia as a humanitarian aid tax free and were given
away to the army, and also sold in black markets.
Multinational tobacco companies are in the lead in investing in Russia and other
countries of former Soviet Union. The declared size of investment in local tobacco
industry amounts to US$ 1.6 billion. In Russia and Ukraine multinationals already
control more than 90% of local tobacco production.
In 2001 Russian Duma (the Lower House of Russian Parliament) passed the law on
smoking control, which includes bans on sale of cigarettes to minors (individuals
18 years or less), prohibition of smoking in all public places and workplace in the
broadest sense, prohibition of smoking in TV shows, prohibition of billboards within
300 meters of schools and medical institutions etc. However, there is little enforcement
of this law.
Smoking is a major health hazard in Russia. While, much of tobacco-related death
that Russia faces is avoidable, vigorous public health actions are needed to reduce the
magnitude of the tobacco problem in this country.