Belarus is preparing a significant reform of its regulatory framework for nicotine-containing products, including a wide range of new rules for electronic cigarettes (vapes), nicotine pouches, and e-liquids. A draft law titled “On Tobacco Raw Materials, Tobacco, Non-Tobacco Nicotine-Containing Products, Electronic Smoking Systems and Liquids for Them, Systems for Tobacco Consumption” has been put forward for public discussion. The new legislation aims to bring comprehensive oversight to a market currently plagued by illicit trade and growing youth consumption, though it stops short of a complete ban on vapes or cigarettes.
The impetus for this reform stems from alarming statistics. According to information cited in the bill’s justification, up to 77% of disposable e-cigarettes in Belarus enter the market illegally, evading excise taxes, certification, and quality control. This illicit trade is estimated to cost the state budget around 130 million rubles annually in lost revenue. Beyond financial losses, safety concerns are paramount, with the Ministry of Health noting that vape liquids can contain heavy metals and have mutagenic effects on DNA. In 2024 alone, Gosstandart (State Committee for Standardization) banned over 700 types of e-liquids and 800 device models.
The proposed law will regulate everything from tobacco raw materials and cigarettes to vapes, nicotine pouches, electronic hookahs, liquids, and their ingredients. Key new measures include:
- Comprehensive Licensing: Licenses will be required for the production, storage, import, and wholesale/retail trade of these products. Wholesale trade will be restricted to legal entities, while retail sales of a limited list of tobacco products may be conducted by individual entrepreneurs (IPs), though likely not vapes or their liquids. Importation is expected to remain largely a state monopoly.
- Product Marking and Tracking: All products will require special control marks, and technical requirements for equipment and goods accounting will be introduced.
- Ban on “Self-Mixing” (Samozames): The practice of individuals or retailers mixing their own e-liquids from base ingredients (propylene glycol, glycerin, nicotine, flavorings) will be restricted to curb tax evasion and ensure product safety.
- Strict Sales and Advertising Restrictions: The law introduces a range of prohibitions, including bans on open display of nicotine-containing products in stores, online sales via internet, messengers, and social media, and the delivery or mailing of vapes and liquids. Selling products without a license or proper excise marking will be illegal. Using vapes as prizes or in promotional campaigns will also be forbidden.
To protect youth, where 15% of 13-15 year olds reported using e-cigarettes in 2021 (GYTS-2021), the law will reinforce the ban on sales to minors, introduce administrative liability for involving minors in consumption, and mandate age verification by sellers. Public use will also see further restrictions, including a ban on vaping on the porches of apartment buildings and in dormitories. Even the transport and storage of vapes and heated tobacco sticks above a certain limit by individuals will be considered a violation.
Violations will incur fines up to 300 basic units and product confiscation, with multiple agencies (Tax Ministry, MART, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Gosstandart) responsible for enforcement across all stages, from production to consumption. A six-month transition period is proposed for existing businesses to obtain licenses and adapt to the new rules.
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