Russian president Vladimir Putin has signed the new edition of the Law on Advertising approved in parliament earlier this year.

The law imposes a ban on tobacco billboards as from 1 January 2007. In addition to the existing ban on tobacco adverts on TV, advertising of all kinds of tobacco products is outlawed from radio programmes as well. As of 1 July 2006, ads are only to be allowed at points of sale, in the Internet and printed media. (vt)