The Chairman of the Youth Policy Committee of the Russian State Duma has proposed a ban on the import and sale of certain flavored e-cigarettes and e-liquids

Key points: 

·Russia plans to set a minimum store size limit to prohibit the import and sale of e-cigarettes and their e-liquids. 

·Violators of the e-cigarette regulations will face strict penalties, including a complete ban on the sale of e-cigarettes. 

·The proposed restrictions have raised concerns among experts.

According to a report on August 24 from Moscow, Artem Metelov, Chairman of the Youth Policy Committee of the Russian State Duma, stated that the legislative proposal includes several measures aimed at strengthening control over e-cigarettes and related products.

Medyedev pointed out that e-cigarettes are currently being sold almost everywhere, including in the counters of major shopping centers, often with violations. To curb this situation, a legislative proposal suggests setting a minimum store size of 20 square meters. In addition, the government's authority to decide on the ban of certain e-cigarette flavors would change to a mandatory obligation, and there is a proposal to ban the import of e-cigarettes and e-liquid to Russia. According to statistics, almost half of these products are counterfeit without proper labeling. Businesses that sell snuff or tobacco to minors will have their operations suspended in order to better comply with the law.

He emphasized that while these measures are better than no measures, he believes that the only way to completely solve the problem is through a comprehensive ban. He stressed, "These are all temporary solutions. If we want to protect the health of the younger generation, especially the fertility of young women who are now using e-cigarettes in large numbers, we must completely ban e-cigarettes in Russia.

Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin had supported an initiative to ban the sale of e-cigarettes in various regions of the country. This initiative was proposed by the Governor of Nizhny Novgorod Region, Gleb Nikitin, and is planned to be piloted in the region.