“Smoking kills” slogan comes to Russia

Smoking regulations which enforce European standards for cigarettes producers and importers have come into force in Russia. The new law includes restrictions on tar contents and strongly-worded warning notes on packages.

Also brands labeled “light” or “superlight” will have a noticeable clarification that they are not less harmful than “normal” variants.

Also, the new regulation lowers allowed contents of nicotine, tar and carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke.

A transitional period will help the industry adapt to the rules. Restrictions on new tobacco products will become obligatory in six months, while sale of old-style cigarettes will be banned in June 2011.

Meanwhile, producers say they welcome the law, since it replaced several documents regulating the tobacco market with a single piece of legislation.