Drink more, Russians!

People living in Russia have been advised to drink and smoke more in a bid to boost the economy.

The bizarre request came from the country's finance minister Alexei Kudrin, who called for increased consumption of alcohol and tobacco in the hope of lifting the state's revenue from such products.

He explained: "People should understand: Those who drink, those who smoke are doing more to help the state."

The minister went on to add that smokers and drinkers will be viewed as doing their bit to solve the social problems faced in the wake of the worldwide economic downturn.

While people in Russia consume high quantities of both tobacco and alcohol, the country has among the lowest duties on cigarettes in Europe.