Alcohol and tobacco on smartphones are a threat to the nation.
On Children's Day, June 1, the National News Service press center held a press conference on the topic: "The Role of the Women's Community in Improving the Health of Children and the Young Generation: New Challenges of the Digital Environment."
The event was organized by the All-Russian public movement "National Parents' Committee," the public organization "Create" (Women's Community for Spiritual and Moral Values), and the National Parents' Association, with the support of the "Digital World" Union. The key topic was protecting the institution of family and the health of the younger generation from new digital threats associated with the possible legalization of online sales of alcohol, energy drinks, and nicotine-containing products.
Conference participants formulated a consolidated position among parents' and women's public associations, as well as the expert community: uncontrolled online sales of age-restricted goods pose direct risks to reproductive health, the country's demographic stability, and the physical safety of children.
Irina Volynets, Chair of the National Parents' Committee, emphasized that the parent community is taking responsibility for protecting the future generation:
"Parents are the first to see the consequences of the digital availability of harmful products for children's health and behavior. We demand that the state establish clear legislative barriers against the online sale of alcohol and tobacco. The digital environment should not circumvent social norms and age restrictions, especially when it comes to the safety of women and the younger generation."
People's Artist of the Russian Federation, actress, director, and theater and film teacher Elena Tsyplakova:
"After the release of 'School Waltz,' I received many bouquets of flowers with notes, always saying something like, 'Thank you for being there. Thanks to you, I was born, and I'm already twenty.' When you read something like that, everything inside me freezes and is filled with a quiet, immense warmth. And that's why the pain is even more acute when I see how today, in the digital age, with a couple of clicks a teenager can gain, or is about to gain, access to something that slowly extinguishes the light within them. Energy drinks, tobacco, alcohol—all of this is no longer around the corner, but on a phone screen. It's as if we're extending a hand to them with something that can break them. This isn't progress. This is a quiet, irresponsible experiment on those most dear to us. On those who are just learning to love this world. I've always believed: a woman is a special force. Not loud, but deep. We know how to listen with our hearts, to feel the pain of others as our own, and it is precisely this quiet love of humanity that should become our human shield today. We need not to allow, but to protect. Not to experiment on the young, but to cherish them. It's time for the government to remember that demographics aren't just lines in a report. They are living eyes, first steps, laughter in the yard. Children need to be raised, not poisoned by the availability of things that ruin their lives. People have written to me more than once, "You're like a godmother to us." And I tell myself that if we women don't pull ourselves together now, don't firmly say "enough," don't stem this flood of indifference—what will we leave behind? Not laws. Not statistics. Just a quiet question: why didn't we protect them? Let's give our children a future where they're greeted not with a buy-now button, but with an open heart.
Ekaterina Tseloukhova, founder of the Women's Community for Spiritual and Moral Values "Sozidai," emphasized the systemic impact of digital access to alcohol on family health and morale:
"Modern digital challenges—whether the illegal online sale of alcohol or the aggressive push for vaping and nicotine-containing products—are more than just market disruptions. They are a blow to the country's demographic future, women's reproductive health, and children's psychological resilience. Technical bans are necessary, but without deep inner support, young people will not resist the temptations of the virtual environment. Therefore, the key task is to develop a strong value system in the younger generation. The values of chastity, a conscious attitude toward one's health, and respect for the traditional family and motherhood are instilled primarily in the family and must be systematically supported by the state. Our consolidated goal is to help children distinguish true priorities from destructive digital trends."
State Duma Deputy Dmitry Gusev supported the conference participants' initiative, emphasizing the need for swift legislative action:
"Legalizing the online sale of age-restricted goods, namely alcohol and tobacco, clearly poses a threat to the country's demographic security and directly sabotages the healthcare development strategy approved by the president. The internet should remain a space for children's development, not a channel for the development of addictions. We support the demand of the women's and parents' community for a moratorium on the online sale of alcohol and tobacco and the development of legislation banning the legalization of the online sale of harmful products."
"Families shape the personalities, values, and health of future generations. When we talk about online sales of alcohol and tobacco, we are not talking about market regulation, but about a direct intrusion into the family, which should be protected from commercial aggression. The digital availability of harmful products destroys the trust between parents and children. A teenager can place an order without leaving the room, and a mother only learns about the problem when it's too late." The online sale of alcohol, vapes, and cigarettes poses a serious threat to families for several reasons: increased consumption, access by minors, health risks, and social consequences.
Online sales significantly simplify access to these products, leading to increased consumption: the easier the access, the greater the temptation! This is especially dangerous in the context of family values, as increased demand can entice even those who have never encountered these products. Legalizing online sales could negate existing restrictions, creating the illusion of normalcy with constant access to harmful products, which contradicts the principles of a healthy lifestyle and responsible consumption. Our experts emphasize the need for stricter controls and penalties for harming the health of our children and the introduction of extrajudicial blocking of websites hosting illegal online sales. The online sale of alcohol, vapes, and cigarettes creates serious risks for families: it increases the availability of harmful products, attracts minors, worsens the health of family members, and disrupts social ties. "These factors make such trade a threat to the well-being of society and require strict regulation!" stated Larisa Sanatovskaya, executive director of the National Parental Association.
Valery Korneev, Chairman of the Digital World Union, added that the technology sector should work to strengthen social institutions, not destroy them:
"The digitalization of trade should not become a loophole for circumventing legislative restrictions. We see how recommendation algorithms and simplified ordering procedures are shaping new consumption patterns that are dangerous for minors. Supporting parental and women's initiatives in this area is not a market restriction, but an investment in the healthy future of a digital society."
During the discussion, participants developed a number of practical proposals:
- Introducing a moratorium on the remote sale of age-restricted goods, followed by a legislative ban;
- Establishing an interdepartmental working group with the mandatory participation of women's and parental public associations;
- Developing national digital security standards to protect minors from illegal content and online sales;
- Strengthening educational efforts among parents and adolescents about the risks of the digital environment and age verification mechanisms.
Following the event, the organizers submitted a resolution to the Office of the Presidential Commissioner for Children's Rights, M.A. Lvova-Belova, and the Commissioner for Human Rights in the Russian Federation, Ya.V. Lantratova, proposing that the consolidated position of the women's and parental community be taken into account when formulating state policy on digitalization and public health.
The event was organized by the All-Russian public movement "National Parents' Committee," the public organization "Create" (Women's Community for Spiritual and Moral Values), and the National Parents' Association, with the support of the "Digital World" Union. The key topic was protecting the institution of family and the health of the younger generation from new digital threats associated with the possible legalization of online sales of alcohol, energy drinks, and nicotine-containing products.
Conference participants formulated a consolidated position among parents' and women's public associations, as well as the expert community: uncontrolled online sales of age-restricted goods pose direct risks to reproductive health, the country's demographic stability, and the physical safety of children.
Irina Volynets, Chair of the National Parents' Committee, emphasized that the parent community is taking responsibility for protecting the future generation:
"Parents are the first to see the consequences of the digital availability of harmful products for children's health and behavior. We demand that the state establish clear legislative barriers against the online sale of alcohol and tobacco. The digital environment should not circumvent social norms and age restrictions, especially when it comes to the safety of women and the younger generation."
People's Artist of the Russian Federation, actress, director, and theater and film teacher Elena Tsyplakova:
"After the release of 'School Waltz,' I received many bouquets of flowers with notes, always saying something like, 'Thank you for being there. Thanks to you, I was born, and I'm already twenty.' When you read something like that, everything inside me freezes and is filled with a quiet, immense warmth. And that's why the pain is even more acute when I see how today, in the digital age, with a couple of clicks a teenager can gain, or is about to gain, access to something that slowly extinguishes the light within them. Energy drinks, tobacco, alcohol—all of this is no longer around the corner, but on a phone screen. It's as if we're extending a hand to them with something that can break them. This isn't progress. This is a quiet, irresponsible experiment on those most dear to us. On those who are just learning to love this world. I've always believed: a woman is a special force. Not loud, but deep. We know how to listen with our hearts, to feel the pain of others as our own, and it is precisely this quiet love of humanity that should become our human shield today. We need not to allow, but to protect. Not to experiment on the young, but to cherish them. It's time for the government to remember that demographics aren't just lines in a report. They are living eyes, first steps, laughter in the yard. Children need to be raised, not poisoned by the availability of things that ruin their lives. People have written to me more than once, "You're like a godmother to us." And I tell myself that if we women don't pull ourselves together now, don't firmly say "enough," don't stem this flood of indifference—what will we leave behind? Not laws. Not statistics. Just a quiet question: why didn't we protect them? Let's give our children a future where they're greeted not with a buy-now button, but with an open heart.
Ekaterina Tseloukhova, founder of the Women's Community for Spiritual and Moral Values "Sozidai," emphasized the systemic impact of digital access to alcohol on family health and morale:
"Modern digital challenges—whether the illegal online sale of alcohol or the aggressive push for vaping and nicotine-containing products—are more than just market disruptions. They are a blow to the country's demographic future, women's reproductive health, and children's psychological resilience. Technical bans are necessary, but without deep inner support, young people will not resist the temptations of the virtual environment. Therefore, the key task is to develop a strong value system in the younger generation. The values of chastity, a conscious attitude toward one's health, and respect for the traditional family and motherhood are instilled primarily in the family and must be systematically supported by the state. Our consolidated goal is to help children distinguish true priorities from destructive digital trends."
State Duma Deputy Dmitry Gusev supported the conference participants' initiative, emphasizing the need for swift legislative action:
"Legalizing the online sale of age-restricted goods, namely alcohol and tobacco, clearly poses a threat to the country's demographic security and directly sabotages the healthcare development strategy approved by the president. The internet should remain a space for children's development, not a channel for the development of addictions. We support the demand of the women's and parents' community for a moratorium on the online sale of alcohol and tobacco and the development of legislation banning the legalization of the online sale of harmful products."
"Families shape the personalities, values, and health of future generations. When we talk about online sales of alcohol and tobacco, we are not talking about market regulation, but about a direct intrusion into the family, which should be protected from commercial aggression. The digital availability of harmful products destroys the trust between parents and children. A teenager can place an order without leaving the room, and a mother only learns about the problem when it's too late." The online sale of alcohol, vapes, and cigarettes poses a serious threat to families for several reasons: increased consumption, access by minors, health risks, and social consequences.
Online sales significantly simplify access to these products, leading to increased consumption: the easier the access, the greater the temptation! This is especially dangerous in the context of family values, as increased demand can entice even those who have never encountered these products. Legalizing online sales could negate existing restrictions, creating the illusion of normalcy with constant access to harmful products, which contradicts the principles of a healthy lifestyle and responsible consumption. Our experts emphasize the need for stricter controls and penalties for harming the health of our children and the introduction of extrajudicial blocking of websites hosting illegal online sales. The online sale of alcohol, vapes, and cigarettes creates serious risks for families: it increases the availability of harmful products, attracts minors, worsens the health of family members, and disrupts social ties. "These factors make such trade a threat to the well-being of society and require strict regulation!" stated Larisa Sanatovskaya, executive director of the National Parental Association.
Valery Korneev, Chairman of the Digital World Union, added that the technology sector should work to strengthen social institutions, not destroy them:
"The digitalization of trade should not become a loophole for circumventing legislative restrictions. We see how recommendation algorithms and simplified ordering procedures are shaping new consumption patterns that are dangerous for minors. Supporting parental and women's initiatives in this area is not a market restriction, but an investment in the healthy future of a digital society."
During the discussion, participants developed a number of practical proposals:
- Introducing a moratorium on the remote sale of age-restricted goods, followed by a legislative ban;
- Establishing an interdepartmental working group with the mandatory participation of women's and parental public associations;
- Developing national digital security standards to protect minors from illegal content and online sales;
- Strengthening educational efforts among parents and adolescents about the risks of the digital environment and age verification mechanisms.
Following the event, the organizers submitted a resolution to the Office of the Presidential Commissioner for Children's Rights, M.A. Lvova-Belova, and the Commissioner for Human Rights in the Russian Federation, Ya.V. Lantratova, proposing that the consolidated position of the women's and parental community be taken into account when formulating state policy on digitalization and public health.
