From: Travelers Today
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President Vladimir Putin, a nonsmoker, supports the ban. Over the last few years he has exercised strict rules to curb smoking in his country. Now, smoking is banned in most public places and restaurants, and he has increased the taxes on several tobacco products.
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But some lawmakers worry about the effects of banning cigarette sales completely. Elena Topoleva-Soldunova of the Russian public chamber thinks that this step would just encourage smokers to use counterfeit tobacco products, which are more dangerous to the health.
