For the illegal transportation of unmarked electronic cigarettes and vapes, they proposed to be fined in the same way as for the illegal transportation of tobacco products. The State Duma Committee on State Construction and Legislation recommended such a bill for adoption in the first reading.
The document with amendments to the Code of Administrative Offences (CAO) was developed by a group of deputies and is aimed at combating counterfeiting in the market of nicotine-containing devices. The authors of the initiative noted that the increase in excise taxes on such products in Russia and the absence of customs borders in the EAEU created ideal conditions for the illegal market. Unmarked electronic cigarettes are imported from border states to Russia, allegedly for personal use, and then sold to the Russian Federation. According to experts, the share of counterfeit goods in the market of nicotine-containing goods is growing by 20 percent annually.
With respect to tobacco and cigarettes, transportation is already limited, and fines for illegal movement of tobacco products are set by Article 14.53.1 of the Administrative Code — from 15 to 25 thousand rubles. The same penalties are proposed to be introduced for the illegal transportation of electronic cigarettes and vaping liquids. According to the initiative, one person has the right to carry for personal consumption without labeling no more than 200 electronic cigarettes and vapes with a total volume of nicotine-containing liquid no more than 50 milliliters.
The Committee on State Construction and Legislation recommended the bill for adoption in the first reading. The deputies are confident that the new regulations will reduce the illegal market of nicotine-containing products.
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