The introduction of new requirements for cigarettes on the territory of the Eurasian Economic Union was announced by the EMERCOM of Russia. According to the order of the EAEU board, tobacco products must be self-extinguishing. On Sunday, April 11, TASS reports.
According to the department, the draft document was sent by the Ministry of Health of Russia for approval to the interested federal executive authorities.
As the press service of the Ministry of Emergency Situations emphasized, the ministry supports all legislative initiatives that are aimed “at reducing the risks to life and health of the population, including in matters of fire safety.” The ministry added that cigarette smoking is the cause of most fires, including deaths, causing serious material damage.
“The introduction of cigarettes with a reduced flammability into circulation could have a significant impact on preventing some of the fires and reducing the death and injury of people,” the ministry explained.
On January 11, the Russian Ministry of Health confirmed that the department and the Ministry of Emergency Situations are discussing the requirements for self-extinguishing cigarettes.
Earlier on the same day, Rinat Yenikeev, director of the Department for Supervision and Preventive Work of the Russian Emergencies Ministry, announced that Russia was preparing new requirements for cigarettes. The initiative is related to the fact that there are many fires in the country due to careless smoking. Enikeev expressed hope that this standard will be approved in two years. The first deputy head of the social committee of the Federation Council Valery Ryazansky proposed to introduce the norm on self-extinguishing cigarettes into the technical regulations and to agree with the partners from the EAEU.
In turn, the executive director of the All-Russian Public Movement for the Rights of Smokers Andrei Loskutov called self-extinguishing cigarettes potentially hazardous to health. In his opinion, before introducing a new requirement, it is worth studying the effect of such cigarettes on the body.
According to the WHO, all states in the United States, Australia, Canada, Iceland, South Africa and all 28 European Union member states have now adopted policies requiring the production of low-flammability cigarettes.