The State Duma adopted a law on the right of Russian regions to ban the retail sale of vapes

The State Duma has passed a law granting Russian regions the right to ban the retail sale of vapes and liquids on their territory. This was reported on the department's website on June 9.

"The subjects of the Russian Federation have the right to impose a ban on the retail sale of vapes and their liquids on their territory," the text of the initiative says.

The decision was made taking into account the position of the regions, as well as the opinions of citizens and the expert community, including representatives of the medical and pedagogical fields. The purpose of the law is to strengthen measures to protect public health, primarily children and adolescents.

"Vapes differ from tobacco in that flavorings are addictive. They're delicious, tempting, and kids get hooked on it. Vapes are extremely harmful to health," said Vyacheslav Volodin, Chairman of the State Duma.

The experimental regime will be in effect for five years — from March 1, 2027 to March 1, 2032. In the subjects where measures will not be introduced, the general regulation will remain. Also, starting from October 1, 2026, mandatory licensing of retail and wholesale sales of tobacco and nicotine-containing products will be introduced.

Criminal liability will be imposed for trafficking such products without a license on a large and especially large scale. The law was adopted unanimously on the basis of appeals from citizens.

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What will change for sellers and buyers after licensing the industry

On May 2, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law imposing fines for violating established prices and expiration dates for the sale of tobacco products. If the minimum or maximum retail prices are not met, the seller will be forced to pay a fine, and its amount will depend on the amount of goods sold per day.