Russian drivers may soon face a ban from operating vehicles if they are found to be taking certain medications that impair their attention and reaction time. The State Duma has approved in its first reading a bill that introduces liability for driving under the influence of drugs, expanding the current definition of intoxication beyond alcohol, narcotics, and psychotropic substances.

The proposed legislation targets drivers found to have substances in their system, identified through medical examination, that are components of medications affecting cognitive functions. This includes a combination of clinical signs of intoxication, potentially leading to punishment.

The list of drugs that could be incompatible with driving may include sedatives, hypnotics, antiepileptic drugs, anesthetics, and medications prescribed for Parkinson’s disease.

In other news, there is a proposal to cancel the need criterion for large families seeking state support. Sergey Mironov, leader of the “A Just Russia – For Truth” party, introduced the initiative, arguing for equal rights for large families across all regions. While some regions have already eliminated the need criterion for local benefits, others still require families to meet specific income thresholds.

The XII Trans-Baikal International Film Festival continued with a gala concert featuring Russian stars such as Svetlana Permyakova, Evgeny Dyatlov, Dmitry Dyuzhev, and Boris Smolkin. The event showcased a screening of the documentary “Baikal: Living Water,” dedicated to nature and the human spirit, with the author of the idea, Irina Larionova, present.

President Vladimir Putin has signed several new laws affecting various aspects of Russian life. These include measures relating to real estate transactions via a unified biometric system, fines for selling non-alcoholic tonic drinks to minors, standardized reporting for management companies, legalization of guest houses, worker protection from excessive fines, simplified maternity capital assignments, and closure of sites selling illegal dietary supplements.

Finally, an excerpt of a new song by SHAMAN, titled “Straight to the Heart,” has surfaced online. The song, written by Maxim Fadeev, is intended for performance at the International Vocal Competition “Intervision.”