Children’s health is the most important priority of any society. In the conditions of war, when Ukrainian children face significant psychological, physical and emotional challenges, preserving their health becomes an even more urgent task. Harmful habits such as drinking and smoking can cause irreparable damage to the younger generation, weakening their physical condition and complicating the process of rehabilitation after the stressful events of war. Therefore, control over children’s access to tobacco and alcohol products is not only a matter of legislation, but also a moral responsibility of society.
Dmytro Lubinets, the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights, proposed to significantly strengthen the responsibility for the sale of alcohol and cigarettes to minors. He wrote about this in Telegram.
In his address to the Committee of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on Finance, Tax and Customs Policy, Lubinets proposed to increase the fines for such violations from 3,000 to 15,000 tax-free minimums. This amounts to 51,000 to 255,000 hryvnias, which is significantly higher than the current fines of 6,800-13,600 hryvnias. According to the ombudsman, such measures will help prevent abuse by sellers who disregard the current laws for financial gain.
According to the National Police, only from the beginning of 2024 until the end of October, 2,655 administrative protocols were drawn up for the sale of alcohol and tobacco products to minors. This shows that the current sanctions are not effective enough to prevent violations. Lubinets emphasized that the harm caused to children’s health due to such sales is disproportionate to the level of responsibility that the violators bear.
The key point of the proposal is not only an increase in fines, but also a change in public attitudes towards such offenses. Any attempt to profit by endangering the health of children should be severely condemned and punished. Lubinets emphasized that the protection of the young generation is the basis for building a healthy and strong society. The increase in fines should send a strong signal to those who risk selling harmful goods to minors.
In the future, this will also contribute to increased control over the circulation of alcohol and tobacco products. In particular, in Ukraine, the development of the electronic control system “eExcise”, which was initiated by the Ministry of Digital Transformation, is already underway. This system will help track the movement of excise goods more effectively, and its testing is planned for spring 2025.
Strengthening responsibility for the sale of alcohol and cigarettes to children is an important step in the fight for a healthy future of Ukraine. The conditions of war require special attention to children, who are the most vulnerable members of society. Dmytro Lubinets’ proposal will allow not only to provide better protection for the younger generation, but also to strengthen the legislative mechanisms for combating bad habits. Children’s health is the foundation on which the country’s future rests, and it deserves the highest level of protection.
