Valery Chervonooky, "We should measure the health of children not in meters"

Earlier this year, within the legal framework of our country there appeared a law designed to protect citizens, especially non-smokers from exposure to tobacco smoke and consequences of tobacco consumption. Shortly after its adoption, the parliamentarian Viktor Guzun proposed to toughen the penalties for the sale of cigarettes to minors. Deputies supported the initiative to increase fourfold penalty. The next step in improving the anti-smoking legislation was taken by the deputy of the Committee on Social Policy Valery Chervonooky. He initiated the exclusion of the regulation prohibiting the sale of tobacco products at a distance of a hundred meters from educational institutions. Firstly, from May 20 (the date of entry into force of the basic law), many shops were beyond the law. Secondly, there is no clear regulation today, how to measure the ill-fated hundred meters. Parliamentarians decided to exclude problematic norm from the law to avoid misunderstandings, provoking corruption. The corresponding initiative was adopted by the Supreme Council, but the president vetoed it. Relevant committee had to make a choice: to remain faithful to the originally selected line or agree with the president. Deputies, have not heard convincing arguments from the President, decided to recommend to the Plenary to overcome a veto. Without denying the necessity to protect young people from addictions, surrounded by tobacco smoke, lawmakers consider that we have to act very different methods.

Deputies expressed readiness to continue to work on improving anti-smoking legislation