Thread: Smoking

What's the attitude towards smoking in Russia?

Is there much objection to smoking in public places? Is there a lot of information about the health risks etc.? What types and forms of tobacco are generally available?

Finally, do any of you have any advice for someone who is determined to give up starting today (i.e. me )?

If you are determined then you don't need any advices. If you are not - then don't do it, why suffer?

Originally Posted by Ядерное лицо

What's the attitude towards smoking in Russia?

Same as here really. It always seems to me that fewer people (especially women) smoke in Russia than I'm use to seeing, but that could just be a fluke, I have no numbers to back that up.

Is there much objection to smoking in public places?

Less than in Britain for sure. Even when there are no-snoking signs you'll still find people lighting up. You'll even see people smoking in taxis. I understand this is changing gradually though, and you'll probably find more snootyness about it in Moscow and St Pete than you will out in the sticks.

Is there a lot of information about the health risks etc.?

Same as here. In fact, the public health warnings on cig packets are exactly the same as they were here for years (when they were printed in gold text, before they went black and white and started taking up half the packet). Except they're in Russian, obviously.

What types and forms of tobacco are generally available?

You can buy a good mixture of US/ European and Russian brands at practically any shop or kiosk. You can guess them, I'm not going to list them. Stay away from the super-cheap papirosi though, they are evil.

Finally, do any of you have any advice for someone who is determined to give up starting today (i.e. me )?

Nobody likes a quitter.

Each pack of cigarettes bears an inscription (it is stringent law)
“Минздрав предупреждает: курение опасно для вашего здоровья”.
“Ministry of Health alarms: smoking represents a danger to your health”.

And of course there is a lot of information everywhere.

«Smoking of tobacco is expensive and detrimental to health and economy...»
Unknown artist, 1930 (!!!)
http://eng.plakaty.ru/posters?cid=4&part=К&page=4&id=1941

"Хозяйство" doesn't quite mean "economy" here. It has more of a "family budget" meaning.

Although I know nothing about smoking in Russia, I'm very glad I gave it up... I grew up in Iowa, where you can smoke in public places in designated areas, and in bars, you could smoke anywhere. That sucked, always coming home with clothes smelling of smoke, but now I live in California, where you can't smoke in public places, and it is so much better.
I think I smoked from 15 (wild child) to 22. Not very much, though, never even half a pack a day. The first time I gave it up (an oxymoron, I know), I bought a can of cherry skoal. That stuff is nasty! I didn't smoke for a year, and started up when I got stressed from work. The final time I quit, I was outside wtih a fellow smoker, and neither of us had any cigarettes. I decided that day to quit, and never touched them again. I was a fat 180 then, and couldn't run to save my life. Now, I'm 210, very lean, and still can't run to save my life! Don't jump off railroad bridges when you're wasted!
-Fantom

I don't smoke, drink, or even drink coffee. But my sister used to smoke and she of course made me try it. When I was 12 I wanted to hang out with her but she wouldn't let me unless I carried around a cigarette and at least pretended to smoke.

Now if I am around someone smoking and I smell it I absolutely want a cigarette. I think if I smoked even one I couldn't ever quit.

The only time I smoke is when I am on fire...

And after sex, isn't it so...

I don't smoke. My mom, grandma, grandpa, aunts, uncles, and cousins that are old enough to smoke on my moms side of the family. She wakes up in the morning some days and just coughs and coughs. If there is anything mentioned about quitting to her she gets bitchy. I never want to smoke, that shit is nasty. I had to sit in the car on a 22 hour ride to texas breathing in that shit. My eyes started to burn after a while. It was really annoying. I don't see how people find it addictive?

http://potsreotizm.livejournal.com/1675471.html

Originally Posted by Biancca

I don't smoke, drink, or even drink coffee.

Quit on sex too
Who wants pleasure anyway

What I heard is cigarettes in Russia are much much cheaper than in other countries. This moment might be important.
And yes, many smoke everywhere, especially under signs "Smoking is prohibited here".
In buses, trains, planes. At bus stops. In подъезд's. In the elevators.
Recently I stayed at hospital. The ward was full of smoke, even at nights.
If you like me cannot tolerate tobacco smoke, you have to suffer.

However I see how more and more people are trying to quit, this is trend, definitely.

Originally Posted by maxmixiv

What I heard is cigarettes in Russia are much much cheaper than in other countries. This moment might be important.

one pack costs 200-300 rubles in the US

It always seems to me that fewer people (especially women) smoke in Russia than I'm use to seeing,

Women smoke more than men in Russia, I think. And start earlier. Among students I estimate that about 40% males smoke while more than 90% females do.

Originally Posted by Ядерное лицо

What's the attitude towards smoking in Russia?

Is there much objection to smoking in public places? Is there a lot of information about the health risks etc.? What types and forms of tobacco are generally available?

Finally, do any of you have any advice for someone who is determined to give up starting today (i.e. me )?

I am not in Russia, but the prices of cigarettes in the UK is a strong enough reason to give up!
You already know the health dangers.
I am pretty sure they have most well known American brands, as well as local brands.
In the CIS countries the tax on cigarettes is much lower, so cigarettes are super cheap. They were about 50p in for 20 pack in Belarus when I was there. Luckily it is not much of a temptation for me - I never got hooked, thanks God!

Good luck to you anyway!

Originally Posted by maxmixiv

What I heard is cigarettes in Russia are much much cheaper than in other countries. This moment might be important.
And yes, many smoke everywhere, especially under signs "Smoking is prohibited here".
In buses, trains, planes. At bus stops. In подъезд's. In the elevators.
Recently I stayed at hospital. The ward was full of smoke, even at nights.
If you like me cannot tolerate tobacco smoke, you have to suffer.

However I see how more and more people are trying to quit, this is trend, definitely.

How DISGUSTING to smoke in a hospital. How can that be allowed? Poor you, it must have been awful to stay in the hospital under such conditions.

How come I noticed nobody smoking in the train in Ukraine and Belarus? Are the rules different there? And nobody was smoking in the marschrutkas either, thankfully. I can't remember the trains stinking of smoke either.

In trains usually they smoke in tambours.

Originally Posted by Anixx

In trains usually they smoke in tambours.

tambour ? like a drum?