Belarus Official Says Full Vape Ban Is Not Advisable Due to Supply Risks From Russia

Mar.19
Belarus Official Says Full Vape Ban Is Not Advisable Due to Supply Risks From Russia
A Belarusian Interior Ministry official said on March 18 at a press conference on preventing dependence on electronic smoking systems that a full ban on vapes is not appropriate in Belarus at this stage.

Key Takeaways

 

  • A Belarus Interior Ministry official said a full ban on vapes is not appropriate in the country at this stage.
  • The statement was made on March 18 at a press conference held at the BELTA press center.
  • The Belarus Interior Ministry had initially supported a total ban similar to those introduced in some Central Asian countries.
  • The official said Belarus does not have a border setup with Russia that would allow full control of goods flows.
  • He said the risk of illegal supplies from Russia is very high, making a full ban inadvisable for now.

 


 

2Firsts, March 19, 2026

 

According to BELTA, Vasily Demidovich, deputy head of the department for organizing the work of juvenile inspections at the prevention department of the main directorate for law enforcement and prevention of the Interior Ministry, said that a full ban on vapes is not appropriate in Belarus at this stage.

 

He made the statement at a March 18 press conference on preventing dependence on electronic smoking systems held at the BELTA press center.

 

Discussing the experience of Central Asian countries such as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan, where full bans on vape circulation have been introduced, Vasily Demidovich explained the ministry’s position.

 

He said that the Belarus Interior Ministry had initially supported a similar measure in Belarus, but that there are certain “nuances.”

 

He said, “At this stage, a decision has been made that this is not entirely appropriate. We do not have a border with the Russian Federation in the sense that would allow us to fully control the flow of goods. The risk of illegal supplies from Russia is very high, so for now a full ban in our country is not appropriate.”

 

Image source: BELTA  

 

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