Crackdown on Illegal Tobacco Products in Astana, Kazakhstan

Regulations by 2FIRSTS.ai
Mar.19.2024
Crackdown on Illegal Tobacco Products in Astana, Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan authorities crack down on illegal tobacco sales, with over 100 businesses inspected and 598 individuals facing administrative penalties.

According to a recent report by Tengrinews, all five districts of Astana, Kazakhstan are conducting an operation to investigate the sale and distribution of non-tobacco products, as well as to stop the public advertisement of e-cigarettes. During this operation, over 100 commercial entities were inspected. Police officers, along with regional authorities, discovered approximately 50 cases of non-tobacco product sales and distribution.

 

According to Yerzat Kokenov, the regional police inspector of the Eisel Police Station, shop owners who violated the ban on tobacco products were fined 92,300 tenge, equivalent to 25 times the established amount. Under Article 441 of the Kazakhstan Administrative Offences Code, 598 individuals have been held accountable for breaking the ban on using tobacco products.

 

It is reported that the current National Health and Health Care System Law prohibits the sale of non-tobacco products. Those caught illegally selling non-tobacco products will face fines based on 25 metrics, which could amount to over 92,000 gongos. During the operation, individuals using non-tobacco products in public places were also engaged in conversations.

 

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev addressed the dangers of drugs and other harmful substances to health during the third national Kurultai meeting on March 15, 2024.

 

Currently, there are discussions about amending relevant laws that would impose criminal penalties on individuals using e-cigarettes.

 

We welcome news tips, article submissions, interview requests, or comments on this piece.

Please contact us at info@2firsts.com, or reach out to Alan Zhao, CEO of 2Firsts, on LinkedIn


Notice

1.  This article is intended solely for professional research purposes related to industry, technology, and policy. Any references to brands or products are made purely for objective description and do not constitute any form of endorsement, recommendation, or promotion by 2Firsts.

2.  The use of nicotine-containing products — including, but not limited to, cigarettes, e-cigarettes, nicotine pouchand heated tobacco products — carries significant health risks. Users are responsible for complying with all applicable laws and regulations in their respective jurisdictions.

3.  This article is not intended to serve as the basis for any investment decisions or financial advice. 2Firsts assumes no direct or indirect liability for any inaccuracies or errors in the content.

4.  Access to this article is strictly prohibited for individuals below the legal age in their jurisdiction.

 

Copyright

 

This article is either an original work created by 2Firsts or a reproduction from third-party sources with proper attribution. All copyrights and usage rights belong to 2Firsts or the original content provider. Unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or any other form of unauthorized use by any individual or organization is strictly prohibited. Violators will be held legally accountable.

For copyright-related inquiries, please contact: info@2firsts.com

 

AI Assistance Disclaimer

 

This article may have been enhanced using AI tools to improve translation and editorial efficiency. However, due to technical limitations, inaccuracies may occur. Readers are encouraged to refer to the cited sources for the most accurate information.

We welcome any corrections or feedback. Please contact us at: info@2firsts.com

JUUL Purchasers Ask Ninth Circuit to Preserve Antitrust Classes in Case Over Altria’s $12.8 Billion Investment
JUUL Purchasers Ask Ninth Circuit to Preserve Antitrust Classes in Case Over Altria’s $12.8 Billion Investment
Private antitrust litigation stemming from Altria's 2018 $12.8 billion investment for a 35% economic interest in JUUL is advancing before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Direct purchasers, indirect purchasers and indirect resellers of JUUL products filed answering briefs this week seeking to preserve class certifications granted by a California federal court in February. Altria and JUUL argue that individual consumers and large distributors differ too much in purchasing terms to remain in a single direct-purchaser class, while a separate dispute concerns whether California antitrust law can apply to indirect purchasers across 27 jurisdictions. A September trial has been put on hold during the appeal.
Sep.23
Zhang Xiaotang Appointed Deputy Director of China’s Tobacco Regulator, Adding Another Finance-Background Official to Top Leadership
Zhang Xiaotang Appointed Deputy Director of China’s Tobacco Regulator, Adding Another Finance-Background Official to Top Leadership
China’s State Council has appointed Zhang Xiaotang as deputy director of the State Tobacco Monopoly Administration, with the regulator’s official website now listing him as a Party leadership group member and deputy director. Zhang previously led Hebei China Tobacco and earlier headed the STMA’s finance and audit department. His appointment follows the elevation earlier this year of former tax official Yao Laiying to head the STMA, adding another senior official with a strong fiscal or financial-management background to China Tobacco’s top leadership in 2026.
News
Sep.20
Wall Street Journal: U.S. FDA Plans Faster Vape and Nicotine Pouch Reviews, Revisit of 2021 PMTA Rule
Wall Street Journal: U.S. FDA Plans Faster Vape and Nicotine Pouch Reviews, Revisit of 2021 PMTA Rule
The Trump administration is preparing changes intended to accelerate FDA market authorization reviews for e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches, according to The Wall Street Journal. The FDA is expected to revisit its 2021 PMTA rule and may simplify some scientific study requirements and shorten review times. The agency has not formally announced the changes. Over the past year, the FDA has already accelerated nicotine-pouch reviews, expanded ENDS authorizations and upgraded its CTP Portal NextGen application system. As of August 2026, 43 nicotine pouch products and 48 e-cigarette products had received FDA marketing authorization.
Sep.24
Couche-Tard Posts Double-Digit U.S. Same-Store Growth in Other Nicotine Products, Led by Pouches
Couche-Tard Posts Double-Digit U.S. Same-Store Growth in Other Nicotine Products, Led by Pouches
Alimentation Couche-Tard said U.S. same-store sales in its “other nicotine products” category grew at a double-digit rate in the first quarter of fiscal 2027, led by nicotine pouches, while overall U.S. same-store merchandise revenues increased 1.7%. The company also said its Canadian nicotine business continued to face regulatory pressure and illicit-market headwinds. The U.S. performance coincides with Couche-Tard's participation in efforts to reopen Canadian convenience-store access to authorized nicotine pouches, though the company has not established a direct causal link between the two.
Sep.14
China’s Vape-Related Exports Rose 4.5% in Q3 2026 as 21.6% Growth in Shipments to the UK Offset a Decline in Shipments to the US
China’s Vape-Related Exports Rose 4.5% in Q3 2026 as 21.6% Growth in Shipments to the UK Offset a Decline in Shipments to the US
China's vape-related exports rose 4.5% year over year to $2.86 billion in the third quarter of 2026, led by stronger shipments to the United Kingdom as exports to the United States declined. UK-bound shipments increased 21.6%, adding $81.9 million, while US exports fell 5.2%, or $53.6 million. Growth weakened through the quarter, with September exports down 6.3% globally and 37.8% to the US. Nicotine-containing vape products accounted for more than 82% of the quarterly net increase, while device exports were nearly flat. Nine-month exports totaled $7.82 billion, up 4.0%.
DATA
Oct.26
GAO Audit Finds Nearly 132,000 FDA Tobacco Applications Waiting an Average 1,266 Days as Nicotine Pouch Pilot Practices Move Into Vape PMTA Reviews
GAO Audit Finds Nearly 132,000 FDA Tobacco Applications Waiting an Average 1,266 Days as Nicotine Pouch Pilot Practices Move Into Vape PMTA Reviews
A U.S. Government Accountability Office audit found that 131,915 tobacco product applications submitted to the FDA since 2018 remained without a final review as of December 31, 2025, with pending applications waiting an average of 1,266 days. GAO also found FDA lacks the data needed to systematically determine whether scientific reviews meet applicable timelines. HHS agreed to upgrade the agency's tracking systems. At the same time, FDA has begun applying lessons from its nicotine pouch PMTA pilot to e-cigarette reviews, while changes to enforcement policy and electronic submissions are making the specific stage of a PMTA increasingly relevant to market access.
FDA
Oct.03