The Ministry of Finance opposes a complete ban on vaping, Deputy Finance Minister Alexei Sazanov said on the sidelines of the SPIEF. According to him, the opinion of the Ministry of Finance on the proposals for a complete ban on vaping has been formulated, it does not differ from the government's. "We believe that it is necessary to fight with economic measures, not with prohibitions," a Forbes correspondent quotes Sazanov as saying. Earlier, the head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade advocated a complete ban on vaping
The Ministry of Finance opposes a complete ban on vaping, which was previously supported by the Ministry of Industry and Trade. This was stated by Deputy Finance Minister Alexei Sazanov on the sidelines of the SPIEF, Forbes correspondent reports.
According to Sazanov, the Ministry of Finance's opinion on the proposals for a complete ban on vaping has been formulated, it does not differ from the government's. "We believe that it is necessary to fight with economic measures, not with bans," he said.
According to the Deputy minister, the Ministry of Finance plans that from September 1, 2026, licensing of wholesale and retail of nicotine-containing products will be introduced. The relevant draft law has now been developed, it is undergoing public discussion and interdepartmental coordination.
In early June, Anton Alikhanov, the head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, called for a complete ban on vaping in Russia. "Bans and restrictions, of course, cannot regulate everything in the world, but vapes are probably an exception for me personally. I am personally in favor of a total ban," he said at the time.
Chairman of the State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin then said that the State Duma would support a complete ban on vaping if such an initiative came from the government. "The deputies will support the bill. Moreover, we will consider it as a priority," Volodin noted. According to him, the harm to health from vaping is "obvious": when vaping, toxic compounds are formed that increase the risk of developing serious diseases.
In January, the Ministry of Health supported the idea of banning the turnover of vapes. The Ministry noted that vapes have gained popularity among the most vulnerable groups of the population — children and adolescents, and called for additional steps to combat the use of traditional cigarettes and heated tobacco.
In 2023, Russia has already passed a law banning the sale of vapes and liquids for them to minors. Volodin noted in January that this was not enough to protect children.
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