Russia bans smoking in public

The Russian parliament has approved the controversial anti-tobacco law which bans smoking in restaurants, cafés, state institutions, hotels, universities, schools, hospitals, stadia, trains, long-distance ships, as well as near the entrances of metro and railway stations.

The law will come into force on June 1, 2013. Smoking will be allowed inside special zones in factories and offices. It will also bar tobacco companies from organizing lotteries and sponsoring festivals.

Starting in June, all shopping windows will be cleared of tobacco products, which will be replaced by their price tags. The legislation also prohibits open sale of electronic cigarettes and chewing tobacco, RIA reports.