MOSCOW, December 25 (RAPSI) – The lower house of the Russian parliament is to discuss a bill submitted by a regional legislative assembly, which envisages complete prohibition of retail and bulk sales of all non-smoking tobacco products, the database of the State Duma reads on Wednesday.

The authors of the bill, lawmakers of the Stavropol Duma, propose to sanction violations of legislation with fines of up to 60,000 rubles (about $1,000 at the current exchange rate).

It is suggested to amend the current legislation aimed to protect citizens’ health from adverse effects and negative consequences of tobacco consumption to the effect that not only snus and dipping tobacco, but all non-smoking tobacco products are to be banned, whereas minors are to be prohibited to consume such products.

At the same time, the bill introduces administrative responsibility for trade in non-smoking tobacco products. Citizens are to be fined from 2,000 to 4,000 rubles ($30 to $65), officials – from 7,000 to 12,000 rubles ($100 to $200), legal entities – from 40,000 to 60,000 rubles ($650 to $1,000).

The authors of the bill explain their initiative by the fact that currently legal non-smoking tobacco products present no lesser health hazard than those already banned and equally result in nicotine addiction of consumers.