MOSCOW, July 2 (RIA Novosti) - Most Russians, 72%, favor prohibiting smoking in public places, while 24% are against such restrictions, an opinion research center said Monday.

Every second respondent in a survey conducted by the All-Russian Center for Public Opinion Study proposed prohibiting smoking in universities, movies, shopping malls and other public places.

The poll also showed that 61% of Russians do not smoke, and that there are more male than female smokers - 56% to 12%.

The poll was conducted June 16-17 and involved 1,599 people in 46 regions, territories and republics across Russia. The margin of error did not exceed 3.4%.