Russian consumer group urges Kremlin administration to reject regional vape sales bans

Key Points

• A Russian consumer association has asked the Presidential Administration not to grant regions the power to ban sales of ENDS and e-liquids.
• The group argues regional bans would expand illicit markets and weaken state oversight.
• It warns of a “patchwork” regime where products are legal in one region but banned in a соседний region, boosting shadow sales.
• The letter cites WHO figures: 121 countries regulate ENDS, only 34 impose total bans; WHO favors context-specific approaches.
• The group points to UAE and Australia as examples where bans fueled illicit sales, prompting regulatory shifts.
• Background: a relevant bill passed first reading in November 2025; the Finance Ministry later floated giving regions ban powers; SME group Opora Rossii opposed the idea in December 2025.

2Firsts, Feb 6, 2026

According to Vedomosti. Pravila torgovli, the Union of Consumers of Russia has sent a letter to the Russian Presidential Administration urging it not to grant regional governments the authority to ban the sale of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) and e-liquids. The group says the proposed approach, tied to federal draft law No. 102477-8, could drive growth in the illicit market and reduce the state’s ability to control nicotine-containing products.

In the letter, the organization warns a regional-ban model would produce a “patchwork” framework, where a product is legal in one region but prohibited in a neighboring one—complicating compliance and enforcement while incentivizing underground trade in products of unknown quality.

The consumer group also points to international practice, citing World Health Organization figures that ENDS circulation is regulated in 121 countries, while a full ban exists in only 34. It argues WHO does not recommend a one-size-fits-all ban, but rather a differentiated approach shaped by national context. The letter references the UAE and Australia, saying restrictive policies there contributed to expanding illicit sales, leading authorities to shift toward other regulatory models.

The intervention comes amid evolving legislative debate in Russia. In November 2025, the State Duma adopted amendments in first reading to a law governing the production and circulation of tobacco and nicotine-containing products. Following that vote, the Finance Ministry proposed adding provisions that would allow regions to prohibit ENDS and e-liquid sales within their territories. In December 2025, SME association Opora Rossii publicly opposed the idea, warning it could push the market further underground and weaken state control.

Image source: Vedomosti.