Seventh-day Adventist Church leaders in Russia have voiced strong support for legislation, passed June 22 by Russia’s lower house of parliament that aims to restrict smoking in public places.

The bill, which has yet to be approved by the parliament’s upper house, seeks to ban smoking in the workplace, on public transportation, in state buildings, educational and cultural institutions, and on flights of less than three hours. The legislation was prompted by what Russian health ministry officials say is “an alarming increase” in the death rate from smoking-related illnesses, such as lung cancer, over the past decade.

The new law would also ban the production, import, or sale of cigarettes with high tar and nicotine content. If passed, the law will take effect on January 1, 2003.

The Adventist Church in Russia has a long-standing commitment to public education about the dangers of smoking.  The church’s health department also offers resources and training for those who want to conduct smoking cessation seminars and has implemented quit-smoking programs in most countries of the former Soviet Union.