MOSCOW, July 21 (RAPSI) – Amendments to the Administrative Offense Code envisaging raise in fines for selling chewing tobacco (naswar) and tobacco sucking packets (snus)  has been adopted by the lower house of Russian parliament, according to the State Duma website.

Under the bill, sale of such tobacco mixtures will result in fines ranging from 15,000 to 20,000 rubles ($200 - 280) for individuals; from 30,000 to 50,000 rubles ($420 - 700) for officials and from 100,000 to 150,000 rubles ($1,400 – 2,100) for companies.

If snus or naswar are sold to minors, individuals will face varying from 20,000 to 40,000 rubles, officials are to pay from 40,000 to 70,000 rubles and legal entities are to pay from 150,000 to 300,000 rubles ($210,000 – 4,200).

Currently, tobacco mixtures sale is punishable by fines ranging from 2,000 to 4,000 rubles ($28 – 56) for individuals. And sale of chewing and sucking tobacco to children is punished with fines varying from 3,000 to 5,000 rubles ($42 - 70).

Authors of the legislative initiative point that use of snus and naswar have a dangerous health effect.