Russia's Bashkortostan Eyes Complete E-Cigarette Sales Prohibition

Key Points: 

·Bashkortostan's Potential Ban: The Republic of Bashkortostan is considering a complete ban on e-cigarette sales, with its parliament set to review the proposal.

·Federal Devolution of Authority: The Russian federal government is contemplating granting regions the authority to ban e-cigarette sales, which could lead to varied regional regulations.

·Historical Leadership in Tobacco Control: Bashkortostan has been a pioneer in restricting tobacco sales nationwide and has previously extended these restrictions to e-cigarettes and hookahs.

·Draft Law Submission: A draft law proposing regional bans on e-cigarette sales has been submitted to the Russian government, indicating potential nationwide changes.

·Local Leaders' Readiness: Many local leaders across Russia are reportedly ready to restrict e-cigarette sales within their jurisdictions, showing widespread support for such measures.

·St. Petersburg's Pilot Project: St. Petersburg has proposed a pilot project for a complete e-cigarette sales ban, which could serve as a model for other regions.

According to gazeta.ru on August 25, Konstantin Tolkachev, the Speaker of the State Assembly of the Republic of Bashkortostan, stated that the parliament will consider a bill to completely ban the sale of e-cigarettes in the region.

Tolkachev noted that the federal level is contemplating devolving the authority to fully prohibit the sale of e-cigarettes to the regions. If the proposal is approved, the Republic of Bashkortostan will actively explore the possibility of a complete ban on sales.

The Republic of Bashkortostan was the first in the country to restrict the sale of tobacco products and later extended these restrictions to e-cigarettes and hookahs.

On August 23, Artem Metelyov, the Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Youth Policy, said that a draft law proposing to grant Russian regions the right to ban the sale of e-cigarettes has been submitted to the government. Metelyov believes that this initiative could trigger a series of follow-up actions. He pointed out that many local leaders are ready to restrict the sale of e-cigarettes within their jurisdictions.

Previously, St. Petersburg had proposed launching a pilot project for a complete ban on e-cigarettes.