煙草在線據《華爾街日報》報道編譯　　9月4日星期二，俄羅斯衛生部的一名女發言人說，一項試圖對俄羅斯的吸煙實施重大限制的草案不可能在2013年春季之前提交國會了。

　　俄羅斯衛生部于8月31日正式公布的法案最初時間，要求政府在10月18日對這項立法進行審核。在最佳的情況下，這項法案將于11月1日提交給國家杜馬。一旦提交國家杜馬，基本上可以指望這項法案獲得通過。

　　但俄羅斯立法議員們現在說，這項法案不可能在國會的春季會議前得到聽證，因為這項法律要求舉行一系列的公眾聽證，并要求首先建立專家小組。

　　這項法案草案含有禁止在大多數公共場所吸煙、限制煙草廣告和限制在何處出售煙草的嚴格措施。

　　按銷量計算，俄羅斯是世界上第二大煙草市場。為這項法案采用一個快速法律程序的建議，對9月4日的煙草股產生了重大影響。

　　9月3日，控制著俄羅斯市場最大份額的日本煙草公司在東京收市時下跌了4%。在這一天的格林威治時間14:40分，第三大煙草公司英美煙草公司在倫敦下跌了2.2%，而第四大煙草公司帝國煙草公司也下跌了1.7%。

　　9月4日，瑞銀集團的分析師說，他們估計，日本煙草公司銷售的大約11%、英美煙草公司銷售的大約8%，以及帝國煙草公司銷售的大約4%，構成了俄羅斯市場。

　　這項法律草案要求立刻將卷煙廣告宣布為非法，并且到2015年時，逐步實施公共場所禁煙令和小貨亭售煙禁令。

　　盡管目前的提案不包括提高煙草產品稅的具體規定——煙稅為每包1美元多一點——但提稅的可能性已經被廣泛討論過。

　　在一份聲明中，帝國煙草公司敦促對煙草征稅政策采取“明智的方法”。

　　帝國煙草公司說：“遺憾的是，稅務沖擊對吸煙者的主要影響是鼓勵非法貿易。”

　　英美煙草公司說，盡管它承認有必要對煙草進行立法管理，但它覺得“限制措施應該公正、考慮周全，而且要始終一致。”

　　英美煙草公司說：“他們應該將俄羅斯市場的現實情況加以考慮。否則，他們要么帶來意料之外的后果，要么不能達到自己的目標。”

　　日本煙草公司的發言人沒有立刻發表評論。

Timeline for Russia's Anti-Smoking Bill Is Delayed

　　A draft bill seeking to dramatically restrict smoking in Russia is unlikely to make its way to parliament before spring 2013, a health ministry spokeswoman said Tuesday.

　　The initial timeline for the bill, which the ministry formally unveiled on Friday, called for the legislation to be reviewed by the government on Oct. 18. In a best-case scenario the bill was to be presented to the State Duma on Nov. 1. Once there, the bill is largely expected to pass.

　　But Russian lawmakers now say the bill will unlikely be heard before the spring session of parliament, because the law requires a series of public hearings and expert panels to be convened first.

　　The draft bill contains strict measures banning smoking in most public places, restricting advertising and limiting where tobacco can be sold.

　　Russia is the world's second-largest tobacco market by volume, and suggestions of a speedy legislative process for the bill weighed heavily on tobacco stocks Tuesday.

　　Japan Tobacco Inc., which controls the largest share of the Russian market, ended off 4% on Monday in Tokyo. British American Tobacco PLC, which is third-largest, was trading down 2.2% at 14:40 GMT in London, and No. 4 player, Imperial Tobacco Group PLC, was similarly down 1.7%.

　　Analysts with UBS said Tuesday that they estimate the Russian market makes up around 11% of Japan Tobacco's sales, 8% of British American's and 4% for Imperial Tobacco.

　　The draft law calls for the immediate outlawing of cigarette advertising and would phase in bans on public smoking and kiosk sales by 2015.

　　While the current proposal doesn't include specific provisions for raising taxes on tobacco products—which cost a little more than $1 a pack—the possibility has been widely discussed.

　　In a statement, Imperial Tobacco urged that "a sensible approach" be taken "to tobacco taxation policy."

　　"Unfortunately, the main impact of tax shocks on smokers is the encouragement of illicit trade," the company said.

　　British American said that while it recognized the need to regulate tobacco, it felt the "restrictions should be justified, well-considered and consistent."

　　"They should take into account the realities of the Russian market. Otherwise they will either bring about unintended consequences or fail to achieve their aim," the company said.

　　A spokesperson for Japan Tobacco had no immediate comment. Enditem