Bulgarian Court Allows B-Restaurants and Bars to Use Tobacco Heating Devices

According to a report by Kaldata, the Kofi District Court in Bulgaria has ruled that B-class restaurants and bars are allowed to use tobacco heating devices such as IQOS and Glo.

The decision was made by the Sofia Regional Health Inspectorate (SRHI) to fine CPC 500 Bulgarian levs. The fine was imposed due to the use of the device within metropolitan facilities, with an appeal filed against it.

The court ruled that this behavior does not constitute an administrative violation. "The court found that the use of the aforementioned devices and smokeless tobacco products, as discovered by the inspectors, does not fall under the prohibition scope. The use of these products in public places does not violate the regulation," wrote Judge Pavel Panov in the CPC's ruling.

They also added that the law does not prohibit the use of any tobacco products in public places, but only smoking. The incident occurred on March 24, 2023. In 2023, an inspector from the Capital Region Health Inspection Bureau (CRHIB) discovered that many customers were consuming smokeless tobacco products in a smoke-free bar.

During the investigation, no tobacco smoke, odor, or haze was detected from the devices present at the location. These devices are classified as smokeless tobacco products, as they do not involve the combustion of tobacco. Instead, the tobacco is only heated to a temperature below the point of combustion, resulting in no smoke being emitted during use.

A fine of 500 leva has been revoked, and Sofia Regional Health Inspection has been ordered to pay 400 leva in case costs.