Smoking ban for policemen in uniform

Police officers and the military have been banned from smoking when wearing uniform.

This conclusion can be made from order N. 424 of the Interior Ministry “On promoting a healthy lifestyle among servicemen and civilian personnel of the internal affairs bodies of the Republic of Belarus, servicemen and civilian personnel of the interior troops of the Interior Ministry of the Republic of Belarus”. The initiative belongs to interior minister Ihar Shunevich.

In accordance with the order, the administrative buildings of police departments, military units of internal troops and nearby territories are declared smoking free zones. Servicemen have to stop smoking when they wear uniform. Smoking rooms are recommended to be situated at the longest possible distance from such buildings.

“Cigarettes, let alone alcohol, are incompatible with the status of a police officer or an officer of the interior troops. The Interior Ministry already took actions, such as sets of practical and organisational measures, to fight against these negative habits. The new order contains a number of measures, but unlike the previous ones, they are detailed,” the press release of the Interior Ministry says.

Offenders are supposed to be punished with disciplinary and administrative sanctions.