"Gender norms and social ex-pectations about caregiving may make it more difficult for men to provide care to sick spouses,"Karraker said.

Tobacco kills nearly six million people each year, of whom more than 5 million are users and ex users and more than 600 000 are nonsmokers exposed to second-hand smoke.

It would also set a bad example for other ex-Soviet republics—and give even more cause for Russian gleefulness.