Russia's Putin tries to curb smoking, tobacco sales

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia will ban smoking in many public places from June under a law central to President Vladimir Putin's plans to make citizens healthier, raise life expectancy and help the economy.

Under the law, signed by Putin on Saturday and passed by parliament last week, smoking will gradually be banned at work, in the subway, restaurants, cafes, ships and long-distance trains in a nation with one of the world's top smoking rates.