Kiev – the Next Smoke-free State
Published on April 10, 2009 8:07 AM
Soon even in Kiev city will be introduce strict restrictions on selling alcohol and cigarettes or tobacco products to teenagers, according to the press correspondents. Kiev, the capital of Ukraine is one of the more beautiful and charming cities in Europe. This 1500-year old city, with a population of nearly 3 million people, is a leading industrial and commercial country.
Irena Kilchytska, the Kiev City Administration First Deputy Head, said that the new legislation will protect kids’ health.
"The problem is in selling products to teenagers," the first vice mayor said.
Ukraine has the second highest smoking rate in Europe at 41 percent behind Greece according to a recent study of people 15 years and older conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology. Sixty-seven percent of men smoke while 20 percent of women puff cigarettes, according to the study.
The head of the council's main department on trade and the economy, Vasyl Scherbenko, said that today in Kiev there are five manufacturers of alcohol products and 63 companies with the respective license.
In 2008 there were 4,158 licensed shops, meaning that every fourth one had a license to sell alcohol and tobacco.
Some 160 shops are located near educational institutions. The major problem is that many of these stores, which work 24 hours, sell low quality products, which may harm people's health, especially that of teenagers.
Kilchyutska suggested to prohibiting alcohol and tobacco sales for young people below the age of 18 years old.
