MOSCOW. May 8 (Interfax) - Smoking and drinking are disastrous for Russia, candidate for prime minister Vladimir Putin said at the Thursday meeting of the State Duma.

"The number of drinkers and smokers in Russia twice exceeds that in the majority of developed states," he said.

The government and society should tackle this problem, he said. "Certainly, we will not fight this evil with bans or higher prices," he added.