Moscow, May 31 (Interfax) - Russia has one the world's highest smoking rates, and up to half a million people in this country die each year from smoking-related illnesses.
"All in all, there are 43.9 million adult smokers in Russia, 60.2% male and 21.7% female, an average Russian smokes 17 cigarettes a day. Each year between 350,000 and 500,000 Russians die from diseases related to tobacco consumption," the Russian consumer rights watchdog (Rospotrebnadzor) told Interfax, citing a survey conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Nearly 35% of Russians inhale smoke at workplace, 90.5% of bar-goers and almost 80% of restaurant guests have to inhale tobacco smoke, the agency said. The substances contained in tobacco smoke have toxic, mutagenic and carcinogenic properties.
"Tobacco consumption has tripled among women, children and adolescents in the past five years. More then 40% female smokers continue smoking during pregnancy, which leads to an increase in the number of children born with health problems or prematurely, or miscarriages," Rospotrebnadzor said.
