Among the participants of the event, there were the educational and cultural institutions’ representatives, who the tobacco conglomerates are to be the patrons. The State Hermitage Museum, Mariinsky Theatre, the Russian Museum, and a number of other educational institutions regularly receive patronage support from the manufacturers of tobacco products.
The participants of the discussion agreed, that the amendment is not relevant to the objective of the draft law, as does not contribute to reduction of smoking in the country. As a rule, the tobacco companies, helping various organizations, do not advertise their activities in this direction, because they consider it as an integral part of their social corporate policy.