Russian Health Minister Encourages Smokers to Switch to E-Cigarettes

 　　Russian Health Minister Veronika Skvortsova pointed out that the ministry is advancing an initiative urging smokers to switch to safer alternatives. Regarding the regulations to be implemented, the minister said they should include banning sales to minors and prohibiting product use in schools. In addition, the health minister also announced that a cigarette tracking system would be introduced, saying: “If we are talking about labeling with RFID chips, the cost is 3.5 rubles (per pack of cigarettes), but this could help drive the development of domestic microelectronics.”

 

　　Russia is currently preparing to launch what may be its toughest anti-smoking regulations yet. On January 9, Oleg Salagay, spokesperson for the Russian Ministry of Health, revealed that the ministry is drafting new tobacco control rules for 2017–2022, with plans to completely ban the sale of tobacco products to citizens born in 2015 and later. If implemented, this would mean that the generation born after 2015 would never be able to legally purchase tobacco products. At the same time, the current encouragement of vape devices appears to be a transitional step in Russia’s anti-smoking policy, treating e-cigarettes as an alternative to traditional tobacco. In the future, I believe Russia may even become a “capital of vapor.”   　　We all know that Russians are known for their bold and unrestrained character. They dislike being constrained, dislike making overly delicate products, dislike overly rigid battle plans, and even dislike overly complicated cooking; yet it is precisely this lifestyle that breaks through restrictions and shackles, allowing vape culture to be accepted very quickly in Russia. At vaping expos in Russia, it is not uncommon to see lines stretching as far as 2 kilometers.   　　I think Russia’s attitude toward e-cigarettes is something we, as a neighboring country, can learn from. Although we may not adopt measures as radical as Russia’s, we do have our own spirit of inclusiveness. Vape culture is growing, and hopefully in the future, when we use vape devices, the people around us will give a thumbs-up and say: “Hey, that guy (or girl) is pretty great!”