Ukraine to ban cigarette advertizing

The Verkhovna Rada has approved in principle a bill to ban advertising, sponsorship and promotion of sale of tobacco products.

The document is aimed at bringing the Law on Advertising, Law on Measures to Prevent and Reduce Tobacco Use and its Harmful Effects on Human Health and the Code of Administrative Offences in line with the Framework Convention of the World Health Organization on Tobacco Control, ratified by the Ukrainian parliament on March 15, 2006.

In particular, MPs propose a ban on all tobacco advertising, and advertising of signs for the goods and services, and other objects of intellectual property law under which these products are produced.

Additionally, it is also expected to ban sponsorship of television and radio programmes, theater and concert, sports and other activities with using signs for goods and services, and other objects of intellectual property law under which tobacco products are manufactured, except for advertising in specialized publications and special exhibitions.

The lawmakers also want that the advertising of any goods or services must contain no images of tobacco products or the process of their smoking.

According to the World Health Organization, at least one person dies of smoking every day in Ukraine.

Back in 2008, Ukraine was seventh in the world on the prevalence of this harmful habit.

Meanwhile, according to surveys conducted this autumn, the Ukrainians have been massively giving up smoking.

For example, in 2005 as many as 62% of men smoked daily, and in 2010 - 45%, while the number of female smokers for 5 years decreased by almost half - from 17% to 9%. UKRINFORM