SF approved the law on fines of up to 2 million rubles for selling vapes and tobacco to children

Russia has approved the law increasing the amount of fines up to 2 million rubles for the sale of tobacco products, vapes and hookahs to children, the Federation Council (FC) made such a decision at a meeting on January 28.

Thus, amendments will be made to Article 14.53 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation. The amount of punishment for the sale of the above products to children, as well as raw materials for the production of tobacco products will be from Br200 to Br300 thousand for ordinary citizens, from Br500 to Br700 thousand - for officials and from Br1.5 to Br2 million - for legal entities.

In case of non-compliance with the restrictions by employees of tobacco retailers, a fine of Br10 to Br20 thousand for citizens, Br30 to Br50 thousand for officials and Br90 to Br120 thousand for legal entities is provided. For repeated offenses will be charged from Br20 to Br30 thousand for ordinary citizens, from Br50 to Br90 thousand for officials, legal entities will pay from Br120 to Br150 thousand.

For the wholesale or retail sale of nasvay or other nicotine-containing products for chewing or sniffing, sucking tobacco (snus), the fine for citizens will be Br150 to Br200 thousand, for officials - from Br300 to Br500 thousand, for legal entities - from Br1 to Br1.5 million. The fines for the introduction of tobacco and alcohol products into circulation and the sale of tobacco and alcohol products without mandatory labeling have also been increased.

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Members of the SF passed the law after it was transferred for consideration from the State Duma, where the bill to increase fines to 2 million rubles for the sale of vape devices to children deputies considered on January 21 in the third reading and passed it.

Physiotherapist Elena Polikanova, Candidate of Medical Sciences, Doctor of Physical Therapy at JSC "Medicine" (Academician Roytberg's clinic), told Izvestia on January 23 that vapes, like traditional cigarettes, contain toxic substances, including nicotine, propylene glycol and glycerin. Nicotine is highly addictive and affects the cardiovascular system, increasing the risk of heart attacks and strokes, the specialist said. According to her, teenagers are the most vulnerable to the harmful effects of vapes. Nicotine negatively affects the forming brain, negatively affects memory, impairs concentration and cognitive abilities.