Russia May Legalize E-cigarettes with Mandatory Labels

On July 28th at 11:38, Russian media outlet RG.RU reported that Vladislav Zaslavsky, the Deputy Director of the Russian Industry and Trade Ministry's Digital Labeling System and Product Turnover Legalization Department, stated that a complete ban on electronic cigarettes in Russia could lead to the formation of a black market.

According to Vladislav Zaslavsky, instead of banning e-cigarettes altogether, it is better to accelerate the introduction of mandatory warning labels and focus on combating the illegal transportation of nicotine-containing products. "It is still unclear which manufacturers and products are in this market and how much nicotine is circulating. Additionally, all bans always come with significant losses.

Zaslavsky noted that Russia is conducting a voluntary experiment to label nicotine-containing e-liquids and disposable nicotine delivery systems. He also believes that a bill proposed by the Ministry of Finance to regulate the production and business of tobacco products will promote standardization in the market, taking reference from alcohol market regulations.

Zaslavsky's statement aligns with the remarks made by Peter Davydov, the Chief Press Officer of the Russian Union of Nicotine, during a meeting of the Russian Tobacco Experts Council on July 26. In an interview with 2FIRSTS, Davydov stated that e-cigarettes are not banned for sale in Russia and efforts are being made to label them, with experiments currently underway.

On June 21, the Chairman of the Expert Committee for the Development of Competition in the Nicotine Products Market, Sergei Katasunov, stated that Russia should not ban electronic cigarettes. He believes that it is necessary to allow innovative products to enter the market, despite the need for research and special regulation. According to Katasunov, the Expert Committee managed to reject the bill to ban nicotine products.

Although many issues related to electronic cigarettes are still being explored in Russia, based on the publicly expressed viewpoints of various Russian governments and institutions, Russia will not ban electronic cigarettes. However, the development of relevant regulations and regulatory rules will need to consider various factors and undergo a waiting period.

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