Russia's State Duma to Ban E-Cigarette Sales Pending Legislative Proposal

Key Points:

1.The Russian State Duma has completely banned the sale of e-cigarettes, and is currently awaiting legislative action by the government.

2.A member of the State Duma promises to prioritize the discussion of the relevant bill.

3.In order to protect minors, previously implemented restrictions have been proven to be inadequate.

According to a June 4th report by Forbes Russia, the Russian State Duma will support a bill to completely ban the sale of e-cigarettes in Russia, but only if the bill is proposed by the government. The Speaker of the State Duma's lower house, Vyacheslav Volodin, stated that lawmakers will consider this bill among their top priorities.

Valogin pointed out that Minister of Industry and Trade Anton Alikhanov has expressed his support for a total ban on the sale of e-cigarettes, and as a result, the State Duma is expecting the government to formally propose legislation.

In 2024, Russia has already passed a law banning the sale of e-cigarettes and related e-liquid products to minors. However, Volokhin stated in January that such measures are still not enough to fully protect underage individuals. He also proposed a bipartisan motion to push for a complete ban on the sale of e-cigarettes in Russia.

In mid-January 2025, members of the Russian State Duma have begun drafting a bill to ban the circulation of nicotine raw materials, nicotine-containing and nicotine-free e-liquids, and related devices in Russia. The bill also plans to prohibit the production and possession of devices used to manufacture such e-liquids. In the same month, the Russian Ministry of Health also expressed support for the initiative.

In June 2025, Alirakhunov further emphasized that managing various products through bans and restrictions may not be a feasible long-term strategy, but a comprehensive ban on e-cigarettes should be an exception. He himself strongly supports a complete ban on e-cigarettes.