Russian Minister Urges Citizens To Smoke, Drink More

Russian Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin is urging his country's citizens to smoke more cigarettes and drink more alcohol, as indulging those habits can apparently do wonders for the local economy.

Kudrin's unconventional advice comes just as Russia prepares to raise excise duty on both tobacco and alcohol sales -- and higher consumption of both commodities could help lift tax revenues for spending on social services.

"People should understand: Those who drink, those who smoke are doing more to help the state," Kudrin said, as quoted by the Interfax news agency. "If you smoke a pack of cigarettes, that means you are giving more to help solve social problems such as boosting demographics, developing other social services and upholding birth rates."

At present, Russian duties on cigarettes are among the lowest in Europe, with most brands priced at around 40 rubles (roughly $1.30) per pack, according to reports. In June, Russia's Finance Ministry announced plans that could effectively raise the price from 250 rubles per 1,000 filtered cigarettes to 590 rubles ($19.20) by 2013. Given that 65 percent of the nation's men smoke cigarettes and the average Russian consumes 19 liters of alcohol (mostly vodka) each year, the price increase is likely to be unpopular.

Comments

[BLACKCAT66]

03:52 PM on 09/03/2010

Ok this guy wins the dumbest advice award. I'm still trying to wrap my mind around his justificat­ion for boosting cigg sales will help social programs such as upholding birth rates??? I guess birth weights not so much. Wow.

[littlepuffycloud]

11:47 AM on 09/03/2010

No different than the way the gop wants people to be uneducated­, hateful and fearful. It's easier to control sickly drunks and well..teap­artiers...­.

[Tacking it Easy]

11:00 AM on 09/03/2010

I'd rather have a politician encourage people to indulge in their freedoms than be one of the suppressiv­e and hypocritic­al prudes we have running our country.

[fairwayhill]

10:08 AM on 09/03/2010

He might as well put a tax on guns and promote Russian roulette.

[bluguy8]

09:03 AM on 09/03/2010

this way they can rid of you faster

[1differentdrummer]

05:49 AM on 09/03/2010

Smoke more, drink more, die young.

[ThinkCreeps]

05:43 AM on 09/03/2010

For several russians I know, it's going to be very tough to increase their tobacco and alcohol intake any further. Maybe they could try breathing a little less to make time.

[v eyepete]

04:07 AM on 09/03/2010

If social services include medical care, then there will be no real benefit, if respirator­y disease and liver failure cases fill the hospitals.

[Kap Hop]

03:46 AM on 09/03/2010

Doesn't Russia already have a higher death to birth ratio?

[xiaodashan]

02:42 AM on 09/03/2010

Some demographi­c studies project around 75 million people will remain in Russia within 30 years.They will be occupying a almost a 3rd of the world's surface.It appears that Russia still sees death as the solution for its sufferings­.A joyless aimless society and wasted generation­s is the mode of existence that most Russian writers have lamented for hundreds of years.This politician­'s comments are just expressing and resigned to this mass disillusio­nment.

[DaveCarroll4]

01:51 AM on 09/03/2010

What a difference from one side of the globe to the other!!! Funny though, how the article seems to implicate that social services are extremely important for the people... and Socialism is innately EVIL?

[SolarArray]

12:51 AM on 09/03/2010

I would think that Russia would be in favor of legalizing pot and reaping the financial benefits. Huge revenues!

[Ishmael1]

11:34 PM on 09/02/2010

Did he advocate that they Dance on Sundays Too?

[babybecks]

11:30 PM on 09/02/2010

This is actually quite honest. Buy them, so money can be made by all. The end.

[lazercat2008]

11:15 PM on 09/02/2010

What a unique way to raise tax revenue.