Market & legal data for the vapour sector in Saudi Arabia

15th January 2025: Saudi Arabia: The Ministry of Municipalities and Housing has launched a public consultation, running until 28th January, on additional requirements for tobacco shops. The proposal aims to introduce new licensing requirements, architectural restrictions for the premises, security measures, product display limitations, and facility maintenance standards.
7th January 2025: Saudi Arabia: The Saudi Health Council published a warning on its official X account last week about short-term effects from the use of e-cigarettes. The warning advises against the use of electronic cigarettes, especially by children and women, and says nicotine is highly addictive and may delay brain development in young children.
5th November 2024: Kuwait: The International Conference on Tobacco Control organised by the Ministry of Health has recommended that the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries establish national observatories to monitor tobacco industry activities and align with the World Health Organization (WHO) standards on tobacco control. Additionally, the conference advocated for regulating novel emerging products in the region, such as nicotine pouches, and recommended increasing excise taxes on tobacco.
29th August 2024: Saudi Arabia: The Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority has proposed amendments to decree 3839 (14/12/1438H) on the executive regulations of the value-added tax (VAT). Among them is a proposal that tobacco products, derivatives and substitutes are not considered goods eligible for tax refunds under any circumstance. The proposal will be under consideration until 17th September. E-cigarettes are subject to a 100% excise tax, a customs duty of 100%, and 15% VAT.
30th January 2024: Saudi Arabia: The Saudi Health Council, a Ministry of Health-affiliated institution, has issued a warning on social media against using tobacco products due to nicotine negatively affecting adolescent brain development.
14th August 2023: Saudi Arabia: On 11th August, the Ministry of Municipal Rural Affairs and Housing passed Decision No. 4400984351/2023 amending the regulation on Tobacco Licence Fees. The decision levies an additional tax for selling or serving tobacco products in hospitality premises at a rate of 100% of the retail selling price (for each unit) provided that the value of the fee is not less than SAR25 ($6.66) per unit. Each month, the premises must submit an account of its sales to its municipality, including the amount of the 100% fee in a separate item, and pay the fee within 15 days.
29th May 2023: Saudi Arabia: The country's sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund (PIF), has announced the establishment of a nicotine products company called Badeal. The company will support the country's Tobacco Endgame 2030 strategy, which aims to halve the current smoking rates, by developing and distributing tobacco-free nicotine products.
3rd May 2023: Saudi Arabia: The Ministry of Rural Affairs and Housing has introduced an initial draft through the public consultation platform on the requirements for offering tobacco and e-cigarettes on hospitality premises. The proposal prohibits signs advertising the use of tobacco and requires any premises selling tobacco to post a price list. It also requires health warning signs and a warning against providing tobacco to minors. The proposal will be under consideration until 10th May.
20th February 2023: Saudi Arabia: The Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority tweeted on Saturday that the import of disposable e-cigarettes for personal use is limited to 25 disposables for each entry, with a maximum of 125 disposables every three months per person.
13th December 2022: Gulf Cooperation Council: The Gulf Health Council has launched a week-long online campaign under the slogan “#companionship_without_vaping” to combat the use of e-cigarettes, particularly by young people, press reports.
9th December 2022: Saudi Arabia: The Saudi Health Council tweeted against the use of e-cigarettes, stating that they negatively affect brain development in children as well as brain activity in adults.
28th November 2022: Saudi Arabia: The Riyadh Health Cluster, a Ministry of Health-affiliated institution, has tweeted against the use of e-cigarettes, saying that e-liquid may lead to nicotine poisoning, and explained that symptoms resulting from nicotine poisoning include vomiting, sweating, dizziness, breathing difficulty, and palpitations.

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