E-cigarettes in the world

World: Asked at a global online media briefing about the recent move in Malaysia that has left e-cigarettes unregulated, World Health Organization (WHO) director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged countries “to do their best to protect their citizens” through vaping regulation. He said: “When the tobacco industry introduced electronic cigarettes, one narrative they tried to really sell is that this is part of harm reduction. It’s not true. It actually is a trap. A trap meaning kids are being recruited at early age to do vaping because they think it’s cool, because it comes in different colours, different flavours and so on. Then they get hooked for life. And most actually move into regular cigarette smoking. That’s why it’s a trap.”

Russia: Sholban Kara-ool, deputy speaker of the State Duma, from the governing United Russia faction, has told the Tass news agency that a ban on e-cigarettes would not work. He said what was needed was public recognition of the harmfulness of substances contained in vapour products.

Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU): The Council of the Eurasian Economic Commission decided last week to introduce traceability marking for e-cigarettes throughout the EAEU. The five member states – Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia – will reportedly determine individually their own procedure and enforcement dates.

Russia: A bill introducing a combined excise tax for disposable e-cigarettes and the e-liquid contained in them came through its first reading in the State Duma yesterday. It would set an initial rate of RUB62 ($1.03) per device plus RUB17 ($0.28) per ml of e-liquid, to rise over the next few years. If adopted, it will come into force three months after its official publication. However, deputy finance minister Alexei Sazanov reportedly told the State Duma Budget Committee that the bill needed to be modified, eliminating the tax on the device, leaving a tax only on the liquid, which should apply to both disposable and reusable e-cigs. Currently, both e-cig devices and e-liquids are subject to excise tax; however, under the principle of one-time taxation, disposables are taxed only at the devices rate.

Russia: Yaroslav Nilov, head of the State Duma Committee on Labour and Social Policy, has drawn attention to online selling of e-cigarettes to minors, media reports. Nilov has reportedly asked the prosecutor’s office to check on online stores and their compliance with the law.

Russia: The Ministry of Industry and Trade has published a draft decree which would make the digital traceability marking of e-cigarettes and e-liquids mandatory ahead of schedule from 1st November. Under the currently operative government decree, the voluntary experiment with traceability marking should last until 28th February 2023.