Russia's Proposed E-Cigarette Flavor Ban Passes in Parliament

On April 11th at 14:47 Moscow time, the Russian State Duma passed a proposal modifying certain legislative regulations with over 90% of the vote. The proposal aims to tighten regulations on e-cigarettes in Russia, including a ban on adding flavorings to e-cigarettes and addressing the issue of underage use.

After the proposal is passed, what are the following steps needed for the flavor ban to take effect? What is the next procedure? When does the flavor ban transition period end? In response to these questions, Liang Jiasen, a market researcher at 2FIRSTS focused on the Russian market, has reviewed and interpreted the proposal.

An Analysis of the Legislative Process in Russia:

According to Russian law, the Federal Assembly is the representative and legislative body of the Russian Federation. The Federal Assembly is composed of two chambers: the Federal Council (upper house) and the State Duma (lower house).

In the Russian legislative process, draft laws are submitted to the State Duma. Federal laws undergo a three-reading procedure in the State Duma, where a majority of votes from members is required for passage. After passage, the State Duma delivers the law to the Federation Council for review, which will approve the law if more than half of its members vote in favor or if the council fails to review it within 14 days.

In the event that the federal commission rejects a federal law, both houses can form a conciliation committee to resolve any differences that have arisen. Subsequently, the federal law should be re-evaluated by the State Duma. If the State Duma does not agree with the decision of the federal commission, and if at least two-thirds of the total number of State Duma members vote in favor during the review, the federal law will be passed.

Finally, the law that was approved by the State Duma and the Federal Assembly must be sent to the President for signing and enactment within five days. If the President rejects the law within 14 days of receiving it, the State Duma and the Federal Assembly may reconsider the law according to the prescribed procedure. If, upon reconsideration, the federal law is not amended and receives the support of no less than a two-thirds majority of both houses of representatives, the President must sign and enact the law within seven days. The diagram of the Russian legislative process is sourced from Perspective Russia.

What is the current progress of the ban on e-cigarette flavors and what are the necessary steps for it to become effective?

On April 11th, the bill regarding the regulation of electronic cigarettes was outlined. It includes provisions to ban the addition of flavorings and address the issue of preventing minors from using e-cigarettes.

According to the legislative process in Russia, the ban on this flavor has passed through three readings in the State Duma with a majority of over 90% of the votes. It will now be sent to the Federal Council (Upper House) for review within the next 5 days. If it passes the review, it will be submitted to the Presidential Administration for the signature of the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin. Once signed, the bill will be returned to the State Duma for public notice and will officially become national law.

It is known that in the legislative history of the Russian Federation, it is extremely rare for a legislative proposal to go through all three readings in the State Duma in one day. Additionally, there is no precedent where a law was approved by over 90% of the votes in the State Duma and subsequently rejected by the Federal Council.

The current proposal in legislation states that the ban on flavor additives will take effect on September 1st, with only a six-month transition period.

Topic: Updates on the Russian Ban on Electronic Cigarette Flavors and Expert Opinions (Click on the picture below to be redirected)

Further reading:

Timeline and Background of Russian Flavor Ban Bill, Passed in Three Readings within One Day

Article 2: Ban on flavored additives for e-cigarettes in Russia will take effect on September 1st; full details of the proposal attached. Article 3: Proposal in Russia to ban flavored e-cigarettes will be discussed for the first time on April 11th.

Russia has proposed a fine of up to 500,000 rubles for those selling e-cigarettes to minors.

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin is considering a ban on electronic cigarettes.

In One Day, Three-Reading Passed Bill: A Timeline and Background of the Russian Taste Ban.

Expert Analysis Series:

Expert interpretation 1: The Russian flavor ban applies to all e-cigarette products, and specific additive standards have yet to be disclosed.

Expert Analysis 2: Russia Sets Minimum Retail Price for E-Cigarette Products to Reduce Demand for Nicotine-Based Products.