Kazakhstan bans smokeless tobacco products and vapes across the board, with violators sentenced to up to five years in prison.
Core Watch:
- Kazakhstan enacted a law banning smokeless tobacco products and vapes.
- The new law imposes heavy penalties for the manufacture, sale, and distribution of banned tobacco products.
- Those who ignore the ban can be sentenced to up to five years in prison.
- Kazakh authorities emphasized the importance of strict enforcement of the new regulations.
Total ban on heating tobacco products in Kazakhstan
As reported by zakon.kz on July 21. The head of state of Kazakhstan signed a republican law on amendments to public health legislation, which entered into force on June 20th. This law introduces significant amendments to the Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan on Public Health and Medical System.
In particular, the State Revenue Service of the Mangistau Region of Kazakhstan noted that Article 110 of the new law explicitly prohibits the importation, production, sale and dissemination of the following products:
- Smokeless tobacco products, vapes, vape flavorings and cigarette oils. In addition, the ban includes cigarettes that exceed the allowable nicotine and tar content, heated tobacco products, hookah tobacco and blends, and related products for which no sanitary requirements have been established.
There are also vapes, e-liquid, and other products
The Regional State Revenue Service emphasizes that the newly added Article 301-1 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan specifies the liability for violation of this ban. Penalties for the sale and distribution of products that violate the law, such as smokeless tobacco products, vapes and their related products. Include fines of up to 200 times the monthly wage base (786,400 tenge, or approximately $1,716), corrective work in the same amount, up to 200 hours of community service, or detention for up to 50 days.
Those who attempt to import or produce these prohibited products in Kazakhstan face even harsher penalties:
- A fine of up to 2,000 times the monthly wage base (7,864,000 tenge, or approximately $14,777), or confiscation of property and imprisonment for up to two years.
If these acts are committed by a group or repeatedly. They are punishable by up to five years in prison, the Regional IRS explained. The Regional IRS called on citizens and business subjects to strictly comply with the new law to avoid falling foul of it.
