Country Spotlight: RUSSIA

Two years ago I returned from an incredible life-shaping experience in Russia where I had spent two years living among, and serving, the Russian people along the Volga River. The more I grew to love the people, the more I grew in empathy toward the Russians in their particular challenges which they face. Smoking is one addiction in which so many are entangled, and many were brought to that point in their ignorance of youth as victims of conspiring tobacco corporations.
Former Russia president, Vladimir Putin, ratified the WHO FCTC last year which marks a huge step for Russia in the direction of health. Here are a couple sobering stats about tobacco in Russia:

• Tobacco has been a major contributor to Russia' low male life expectancy. In the year 1965 a Russian male was expected to live to 65 years of age, whereas up until recently the Russian male life expectancy was below 60 years old. The 1960's were largely when the USSR got "hooked" on cigarettes.
  
• The most current research conducted by the World Health Organization indicates that approximately 70% of men and 27% of women in Russia currently use tobacco.
  

This May and June I will be in Russia conducting a research project that ultimately seeks to advocate the further implementation of the ratified WHO FCTC. We will collect a national representative opinion concerning graphic tobacco warning labels, which data can then be used as ammunition in legislating for the implementation of graphic warning labels in Russia. Advocating the development and implementation of the FCTC is important since while a country may ratify the treaty, that country is the one who determines which policies they will actually adopt into legislation.