A petition opposing the ban on e-cigarettes has reached 50,000 signatures in Kazakhstan, according to Orda. Under the country's laws, petitions with at least 50,000 supporters must be considered by the government. The petition has been submitted to the National Assembly. Its organizer, Tatiana Fominova, is calling on citizens to reconsider the ban, as the country's lower house of parliament discusses the feasibility of banning e-cigarettes.
Background and Issues of the Ban Discussion
The debate surrounding a ban on e-cigarettes in Kazakhstan continues to escalate, primarily due to concerns about the sale of these products to minors. While Kazakhstani law already prohibits the sale of e-cigarettes to those under 18 years old, this legislation has done little to prevent the market from selling these products to teenagers.
At present, e-cigarettes have not yet been certified, and there are no legal provisions regarding the prohibition of placement and public display.
Anton Shishkovsky, the Chairman of the Kazakhstan E-Cigarette Association, stressed that the issue of selling e-cigarettes to minors is due to a lack of regulatory measures among sellers.
He stated:
“Currently, 70% to 80% of Kazakhstan's e-cigarette market operates in a regulatory grey area due to a lack of oversight and inspection, which has been halted for three years. In the past three years, e-cigarette sales have seen significant growth.”
Additionally, Dmitry Zhukov, the Chairman of Qazspirits Association in Kazakhstan, expressed his dissatisfaction with the stance of the Health Ministry and the Anti-Smoking Alliance.
He explained.
“We have reported to the Ministry of Health and the Anti-Smoking Alliance about the violation of e-cigarette sales rules. However, during this period, while the rules were being violated and ignored, the Ministry of Health and the Anti-Smoking Alliance did not provide any supervision to the responsible regulatory authorities.”
Existing Regulations and Calls for Improvement
Supporters of the petition pointed out that Kazakhstan already has laws in place to prevent the sale of e-cigarettes to minors. The popularity of e-cigarettes among youth is mainly due to the ineffective enforcement of existing regulations and a lack of oversight in market monitoring.
Furthermore, Article 110 of the Health and Medical Code of Kazakhstan prohibits the sale of e-cigarettes to minors.
Similarly, tobacco products including e-cigarettes are not allowed to be sold or publicly displayed at the checkout counter.
Reference:
Kazakhstanis voted against the ban on vapes - a petition has gathered over 50,000 signatures.
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