Tobacco apart: the ban on the sale of cigarettes and vapes near bus stops will be postponed

In Russia, the ban on the sale of cigarettes, hookahs and vapes near public transport stops may not come into force on March 1, 2026, as planned, but may be postponed for six months. Such amendments to the bill recently adopted in the first reading were proposed by the Ministry of Health, and they have already been approved by the Cabinet of Ministers. The postponement of deadlines was necessary to adapt the business to innovations. The measures are aimed at reducing the number of smokers in the country, the State Duma recalled. How the norms will work is in the Izvestia article.

How will trade be restricted

The date of entry into force of the law, which will prohibit the sale of tobacco, hookahs, vapes and other nicotine-containing products at public transport stops, may be postponed to September 2026. Such amendments of the Ministry of Health to the bill adopted in the first reading on December 1 were approved by the government commission. This was reported to Izvestia by sources in the Cabinet of Ministers.

The document was developed by deputies of the Legislative Duma of the Khabarovsk Territory. He is making significant adjustments to the rules of retail trade, said Vladimir Gruzdev, Chairman of the Board of the Russian Bar Association.

"It is proposed to extend the existing ban on the retail sale of tobacco and nicotine—containing products, including hookahs and devices for their consumption, to all public transport stops," he recalled. — This means that kiosks and shops located at bus stops, railway platforms and metro stations will lose the right to sell such products.

At the same time, according to him, one significant exception has been made to the rule: the ban will not apply if the outlet at the bus stop is the only place of sale in the entire settlement.

— This is a mitigating measure for residents of small or remote settlements, — said the chairman of the Board of AYUR.

It was originally planned that the regulations would enter into force on March 1, 2026. But the deadline was postponed for six months to give the business additional time to adapt to the new restrictions.

— The main purpose of the bill is to clarify the current prohibitions and, as a result, limit nicotine in crowded places, including waiting areas for transport, — added Vladimir Gruzdev. — This is a continuation of a consistent anti-smoking policy aimed at reducing the consumption of harmful products, especially among young people.

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What else is smoking restricted in

Banning the sale of nicotine—containing products at public transport stops is a logical continuation of the policy of reducing tobacco consumption in Russia, said Fedot Tumusov, first Deputy chairman of the Committee on Health Protection.

"I support this decision," he told Izvestia.

The parliamentarian recalled that the issue of introducing a complete ban on the sale of tobacco products to Russians who were born after 2017 is also being considered.

In May 2025, a bill was also submitted to the State Duma on a complete ban on the retail sale of nicotine and nicotine-free vapes. However, some regions have decided to completely ban the sale of tapes in the region. So, in the Perm Region, from March 1, 2026, such a ban will come into force. The legislative Assembly of the region adopted the relevant law in two readings at once, the press service of the regional parliament reported.

The Altai Republic has approved additional measures to restrict the sale of alcohol and tobacco, which will come into force on March 1, 2026. All specialized outlets selling vaping products and related products will also be closed in the Vologda Region by the end of 2025, the regional government said.

The authorities of the Saratov region also advocated a complete ban on the sale of vapes. At the initiative of Governor Roman Busargin, the Regional Duma has prepared a bill on licensing such a market for the second reading in the State Duma of the Russian Federation. The amendments propose to include the region among the subjects of the Russian Federation, where a complete ban on the sale of vapes will be introduced from March 1, 2026 to December 31, 2030.

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How will the ban turn out

Delaying the entry into force of the bill will give small businesses additional time to adapt, agreed Fyodor Sidorov, a private investor and founder of the School of Practical Investment.

"This is a serious challenge for kiosk owners," the expert emphasized. —Tobacco products remain a traffic—generating commodity - analysts estimate losses of 15-30% of the turnover of points at bus stops," he said.

According to the Honest Sign system, in 2024, Russians spent 1.4 trillion rubles on cigarettes, which is 18.9% more than a year earlier. Tobacco producers' revenue reached 375.4 billion rubles.

— It is obvious that even with the ban on bus stops, demand will not go away, it will simply be redistributed towards stationary stores and online retail, — says Fyodor Sidorov. — A six-month delay gives entrepreneurs time to review their product range and business models.

Those kiosks that are heavily dependent on tobacco sales will be able to find alternative sources of income or negotiate the relocation of outlets.

"From the point of view of the nation's health, the measure fits into the Concept of the state policy of countering tobacco use until 2035," the expert added. — Over the past 15 years, the prevalence of smoking in Russia has decreased by half, from 41% to 18.6–25.5%, according to various estimates. This is the result of an integrated approach: labeling through an "Honest Sign" has reduced illegal trafficking from 15% to 11.4%, the minimum price per pack has increased to 135 rubles, and bans on smoking in public places have become the norm.

The new ban continues government policy by making tobacco less accessible to impulse purchases, especially among young people, experts stressed.

Passive smoking is no less a serious threat to health than active smoking, said Ekaterina Demyanovskaya, an expert at the Hemotest laboratory and a neurologist.

"Second—hand tobacco smoke contains more than 7,000 chemical compounds, of which hundreds are toxic and about 70 are carcinogenic," she said. — Concentrations of some dangerous substances are even higher than in the smoke that is inhaled directly by the smoker.

Being in a smoky room regularly increases the risk of lung cancer by 20-30%, even if a person has never smoked on their own. Children who are exposed to secondhand smoke are twice as likely to develop bronchial asthma, respiratory infections, and otitis media. However, regular ventilation and air filtration do not eliminate the risks completely, as toxic particles settle on surfaces and continue to be released into the environment. The only effective protection measure is to completely stop smoking in enclosed spaces where there are non—smokers.