Vladimir Putin - the Russian President who has been accused of war crimes by the International Criminal Court - took a short break from waging his illegal and brutal war against Ukraine to warn Russian schoolchildren of the dangers of vaping.
Not one to shy away from promoting disinformation, the Russian leader made several claims about vaping for which there is no scientific evidence, as reported by the Russian news agency TASS.
Putin listed problems with memory, un-named “pathogenic organisms” penetrating the lungs and even lowering fertility rates. Russia currently has a “catastrophically low” birth rate.
We were wondering why Putin might choose to focus on vaping with the Ukrainian Armed Forces currently occupying hundreds of square kilometers of Russian territory in the Kursk region.
Perhaps he read about how celebrated Russian dissidents Pussy Riot - who Putin banished to a penal colony for their criticisms of his repressive regime - bonded in a vape shop in Bristol, UK, after speaking at an anti-Putin event in the City.
Putin also talked about motorbikes, describing them as an "unstable" means of transportation. "Save up for a car, it's better for your dad and mom," he told a student.
The Russian leader was holding an open lesson entitled "Conversation about important things” at the school in Russia's southern Siberian Republic of Tyva, which opened its doors for the first time on Monday.
But he was at least realistic about what would happen if he tried to ban vapes altogether.
"In the Soviet Union, we laughed, there was such a formula: "Grab and don't let go." Ban, suppress”, Putin told that audience.
“Unfortunately, we had such an experience in our country, when they fought alcohol, cut down all the vineyards. All this led to an increase in moonshine production, to people starting to drink all sorts of denatured alcohol, mixtures, additives. The number of deaths increased sharply”.
