Azerbaijan Parliament Passes E-cigarette Ban Bill in First Reading

Key Points

• Azerbaijan’s parliament approved an e-cigarette ban bill at first reading;
• The ban covers all stages of circulation and use;
• Nicotine-containing e-cigarettes are defined as tobacco products;
• Heated tobacco products are excluded from the e-cigarette definition;
• The bill is scheduled to take effect on February 1, 2026.

2Firsts, December 2025,22 – Azerbaijan’s Milli Majlis has adopted, in the first reading, a bill proposing a ban on the import, export, production, storage, wholesale and retail sale, and use of electronic cigarettes and their components.

The bill was discussed during a plenary session as amendments to the Law on Tobacco and Tobacco Products. The document states that nicotine-containing electronic cigarettes are included within the definition of tobacco products.

Under the draft law, an electronic cigarette is defined as a product intended to deliver nicotine-containing or nicotine-free vapour into the human body through the respiratory tract, used with a device featuring a mouthpiece or other components, including cartridges and containers, whether disposable or refillable.

The bill specifies that heated tobacco products are not considered electronic cigarettes. Heated tobacco products are defined as products consisting of tobacco and non-tobacco components that deliver nicotine-containing aerosol through heating without combustion and without producing tobacco smoke.

The clarification and introduction of new definitions are intended to allow for more precise legal classification and differentiation of tobacco products, including heated tobacco products and electronic cigarettes.

In parallel, corresponding amendments are proposed to the Tax Code and the Law on Advertising. These include removing disposable electronic cigarettes and e-liquids from the list of excisable goods, abolishing related tax rates, and aligning advertising restrictions with the new definitions.

If adopted, the law will enter into force on February 1, 2026.

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