A law has entered into force in Russia that establishes the concept of a "tobacco-free heating mixture" in legislation, which is used, among other things, in hookahs. The relevant document was signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin on December 28, 2024.
The law defines a tobacco-free mixture for heating as a type of nicotine-containing or nicotine-free product, "which is a tobacco-free mixture not formed in separate portions, ready to be filled into devices for manual consumption of products." According to the explanatory note, such a mixture is intended to form an aerosol obtained by direct or indirect heating (without combustion), which is inhaled by the consumer, in particular, when using a hookah.Gorenje.
Now the "tobacco-free heating mixture" is classified as nicotine-containing products, it is subject to the requirements and restrictions established by legislation regarding nicotine-containing products. This includes a ban on the sale of products to minors and their consumption by minors, a ban on retail trade in territories and premises intended for the provision of educational, cultural, sports, medical, rehabilitation and sanatorium-resort services.
The document was prepared by Senator Vyacheslav Timchenko. Amendments are being made to the law "On Protecting Citizens' Health from exposure to ambient tobacco smoke, the effects of tobacco consumption or consumption of nicotine-containing products." At the stage of the first reading, the bill proposed to supplement the law with a norm prohibiting the retail sale of tobacco-free heating mixtures with a mass fraction of nicotine of more than 3.5%, but in the end it was removed from the document.
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