A law on advertising which specifically introduces a total ban of tobacco ads as of 1 January 2008 has been adopted by the Belarussian parliament, Rustabak news agency reports.

The move is seen as one complying with the country’s obligations undertaken with the ratification of FCTC. A good twelve months ahead of the deadline set by WHO for the FCTC participants, it is an early one. At the same time, the ministry of commerce is reported to have insisted on the ad ban to be introduced gradually, in an effort to support the largest local cigarette manufacturer, Grodno-based tobacco plant Neman.