Yanukovych showed leadership in accomplishing something that two of his predecessors, Leonid Kuchma and Viktor Yushchenko failed to do.
Too often, Kuchma (1994-2005) and Yushchenko (2005-2010) defended the interests of the tobacco industry at the expense of public health.
The ad ban alone is not enough, but will help discourage people from smoking.
This victory was a long time in coming, and there’s lots of credit to go around – to public health activists, to members of parliament from all political factions who supported the legislation and key members of Yanukovych’s inner circle.
Among those singled out for praise are: the president’s son, Viktor Jr., a member of parliament; Hanna Herman, a top presidential aide; and Yuriy Miroshnychenko, the president’s representative in parliament.
It is unconscionable that people in the 21st century – knowing all we know about the deadly effects of smoking – remain exposed to harmful second-hand smoke in public places.
Now the president must go further and support two pieces of important legislation: one to ban all smoking in public places, including restaurants and bars, and the second to increase taxes on cigarettes from their ridiculously low levels, despite the recent hikes championed by imprisoned ex-Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.
It is unconscionable that people in the 21st century – knowing all we know about the deadly effects of smoking – remain exposed to harmful second-hand smoke in public places.
Moreover, a sharp tax hike on cigarettes brings many benefits.
The government gains tax revenue and, as cigarette prices rise, people smoke much less and more people quit.
The tax hikes leave the tobacco industry with a choice: pass on the increase to consumers and watch sales fall, or absorb the hike and watch profits fall. Both are great outcomes.
The positive measures taken so far have already reduced smoking, from 15 million people in 2005 to 11 million today, according to longtime public health champion Konstantin Krasovsky.
It’s real progress, but the smoking rate is still too high and too many people – at least 100,000 Ukrainians – die prematurely from tobacco use each year.
It is now possible to imagine living in a nation where the indoor air is clean to breathe, where tobacco peddlers are disgraced and in retreat, where government has ample finances and lower health care costs and where smokers have every incentive to quit – something most, if not all, want to do.
Fortunately, on the tobacco issue at least, Ukraine has a president who is finally showing the courage to stand up to the tobacco industry and to stand up for public health.
