Public Chamber against anti-smoking law debates without people's opinion

MOSCOW, August 18 (Itar-Tass) -- The Russian Public Chamber will
examine the anti-smoking draft law worked out by the Ministry of Health
and Social Development, which contains strict measures to protect people's
health from smoking.
The ministry plans to submit it to the Duma by the end of the year.
"The Public Chamber supports anti-smoking measures if they are truly
intended to protect people's health," the head of the Public Chamber's
commission on social issues and demographic policy, Yelena Nikolayeva,
said.
"This is a vital and socially important draft law and cannot be
debated without taking into account the opinion of the public society,"
she added.
The ministry suggests banning smoking in public places and tobacco
advertising, including on public transport from 2014, in hotels, cafes and
nightclubs from 2015.
In 2013, cigarettes should disappear from store shelves and will be
sold only by catalogue.