New Russian Law Comes Into Effect: Unlabeled Nicotine Products in Circulation Could Face Up to Three Years in Prison

Aug.04.2025
From August 3, 2025, Russia's new law penalizes unlabeled nicotine products, including e-liquids. Offenders may face fines up to 500,000 rubles ($5,000), forced labor, or up to three years in prison with an extra 120,000 rubles ($1,200) fine. Violations over 100,000 rubles ($1,000) are large-scale, over 1,000,000 rubles ($10,000) are especially large-scale.

Key points:

 

·New Law Implemented: Starting from August 3, 2023, Russia will impose criminal penalties on unmarked nicotine-containing products (including e-liquids). 

 

·Penalties: Manufacturers and sellers who violate labeling regulations may face fines of up to 500,000 rubles (approximately $5,000), forced labor, up to three years in prison, and an additional fine of 120,000 rubles (approximately $1,200). 

 

·Scale of Violation: Unmarked products with a circulation amount exceeding 100,000 rubles (approximately $1,000) are considered large-scale violations, while those exceeding 1 million rubles (approximately $10,000) are classified as particularly large-scale violations. 

 

·Health Risks: Experts point out that using e-cigarettes may lead to allergic reactions, manifested as itching, swelling, rashes, etc.

 


 

【2Firsts News Flash】According to a report on August 3, Russia has implemented a new law that imposes criminal penalties on the circulation of unmarked nicotine products (including e-liquid) starting from August 3. This means that not only unmarked tobacco products, but also all unmarked nicotine products will be subject to legal sanctions.

 

According to the legal text, manufacturers and sellers who violate labeling regulations may be fined up to a maximum of 500,000 rubles (approximately $5,000). In addition, alternative penalties such as forced labor or imprisonment for up to three years, as well as an additional fine of up to 120,000 rubles (approximately $1,200), are also specified.

 

According to the law, the distribution of unmarked products exceeding 100,000 rubles (approximately $1,000) is considered a large-scale violation. When the amount exceeds 1 million rubles (approximately $10,000), it is classified as a particularly large-scale violation.

 

Earlier, immunologist Tatiana Ustinova had mentioned that the use of e-cigarettes may lead to allergic reactions. This is due to the toxic substances found in e-liquid and produced during heating. According to her information, allergies to e-cigarettes typically manifest as itching, eyelid swelling, rash, and other symptoms.

 

We welcome news tips, article submissions, interview requests, or comments on this piece.

Please contact us at info@2firsts.com, or reach out to Alan Zhao, CEO of 2Firsts, on LinkedIn


Notice

1.  This article is intended solely for professional research purposes related to industry, technology, and policy. Any references to brands or products are made purely for objective description and do not constitute any form of endorsement, recommendation, or promotion by 2Firsts.

2.  The use of nicotine-containing products — including, but not limited to, cigarettes, e-cigarettes, nicotine pouchand heated tobacco products — carries significant health risks. Users are responsible for complying with all applicable laws and regulations in their respective jurisdictions.

3.  This article is not intended to serve as the basis for any investment decisions or financial advice. 2Firsts assumes no direct or indirect liability for any inaccuracies or errors in the content.

4.  Access to this article is strictly prohibited for individuals below the legal age in their jurisdiction.

 

Copyright

 

This article is either an original work created by 2Firsts or a reproduction from third-party sources with proper attribution. All copyrights and usage rights belong to 2Firsts or the original content provider. Unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or any other form of unauthorized use by any individual or organization is strictly prohibited. Violators will be held legally accountable.

For copyright-related inquiries, please contact: info@2firsts.com

 

AI Assistance Disclaimer

 

This article may have been enhanced using AI tools to improve translation and editorial efficiency. However, due to technical limitations, inaccuracies may occur. Readers are encouraged to refer to the cited sources for the most accurate information.

We welcome any corrections or feedback. Please contact us at: info@2firsts.com

NielsenIQ and Goldman Sachs Data Show Smokeless Was the Only Growing Major U.S. Nicotine Category
NielsenIQ and Goldman Sachs Data Show Smokeless Was the Only Growing Major U.S. Nicotine Category
NielsenIQ and Goldman Sachs data show U.S. smokeless nicotine product sales rose more than 8% year over year in the 52 weeks ended May 30, making it the only major nicotine category to record growth.
Market
Jun.23
Maine Approves Vape Stewardship Bill Requiring Producers to Manage End-of-Life Devices
Maine Approves Vape Stewardship Bill Requiring Producers to Manage End-of-Life Devices
The Maine Legislature has passed LD 1519, a bill that would establish a producer-funded stewardship program for electronic smoking devices, requiring manufacturers and importers to manage the collection, transportation, recycling and disposal of end-of-life products, particularly disposable vapes containing lithium-ion batteries.
Jun.12
BAT Shares Surge Nearly 6% as FDA Policy Shift Eases Pressure on Vuse and Velo
BAT Shares Surge Nearly 6% as FDA Policy Shift Eases Pressure on Vuse and Velo
British American Tobacco (BAT) shares rose sharply on May 12 after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration signaled it would deprioritize enforcement against certain unauthorized e-cigarette and nicotine pouch products with accepted premarket applications. Investors viewed the move as favoring established players such as BAT’s Vuse and Velo brands.
BAT
May.13
AP Questions FDA Rationale as Glas Fruit-Flavored Vapes Won Authorization Without Added Cessation Benefit
AP Questions FDA Rationale as Glas Fruit-Flavored Vapes Won Authorization Without Added Cessation Benefit
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently authorized two fruit-flavored vaping products from Glas, but a newly released agency memo shows the products did not demonstrate greater smoking-cessation benefits than tobacco-flavored e-cigarettes. The Associated Press said the findings are likely to raise further questions about the FDA’s regulatory rationale and standards for flavored vaping products.
Jun.12
Special Report|U.S.-Facing Retailer Lists RELX Creator Pro 15K: A Chinese Brand Signal Under FDA’s Lower-Priority Enforcement Window
Special Report|U.S.-Facing Retailer Lists RELX Creator Pro 15K: A Chinese Brand Signal Under FDA’s Lower-Priority Enforcement Window
Vapesourcing has listed RELX Creator Pro 15K as “Coming Soon” with U.S. warehouse shipping options; while the page does not show that RELX has entered the U.S. market through official channels or that the product has received FDA authorization, the listing suggests that Chinese brand-led ENDS products are becoming a new point of observation as the U.S. market reassesses regulatory risk following the FDA’s updated enforcement-priority policy.
Industry Insight
Jun.11
EU Launches Online Feedback as TPD Revision Enters New Milestone
EU Launches Online Feedback as TPD Revision Enters New Milestone
The European Commission has opened an online call for evidence on revising EU tobacco products and advertising rules, marking a new phase in the TPD/TAD review. Policy options may cover novel products, flavours, packaging, digital marketing and advertising. A 2Firsts review of 855 early submissions shows rapid engagement and recurring debate over differentiated regulation, harm reduction, youth protection, illicit trade and economic impact.
Special Report
May.21