Health Ministry is planning to outlaw e-cigarettes in Kazakhstan

The Ministry of Health of Kazakhstan wants to introduce a ban on vaping (e-cigarettes). If this initiative is approved, the buying and selling of e-cigarettes will be illegal in Kazakhstan.

What happened? On the sidelines of the government, journalists asked Minister of Finance Yerulan Zhamaubaev what he thinks about the proposal to ban e-cigarettes.

«I think this is the right decision. The Ministry of Health does not have all the information about the potential risks of vaping, and we just don’t know what kind of consequences we are going to face in the future. Even children use e-cigarettes and this is a threat to our national security. This is why we are going to ban vaping and take necessary actions to prevent them from trafficking,» Zhamaubaev said.

The draft law is now being considered by the Mazhilis, the lower house of the parliament.

The context. On July 29, the Respublika political party announced that an interagency commission voted almost unanimously for a complete ban on the sale, import, export and production of vape products in Kazakhstan.

How the ban is going to work. The Ministry of Health published a draft document with amendments to the Healthcare Code. If adopted these amendments are going to effectively ban vape products. The draft document was available for public discussion until June 12.

The document suggests:

– introducing a $23,057 fine or imprisonment for up to three years for the import, manufacturing, purchase, sale, or transportation of vape products, including their flavors and liquids;

– amending the tobacco legislation to expand control and prevention measures;

– updating the Code of Administrative Offenses with a $193 fine for illegal trade in goods, the free trade of which is prohibited or restricted by the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

If the amendments to the Healthcare Code are adopted this October, they will enter into force in 2024.

Why does the Ministry of Health advocate for a ban on vaping? The Ministry is concerned about the health of children and teenagers who actively consume e-cigarettes. The Ministry of Health believes that the ban on vape products across the country will decrease the number of smokers and those who suffer from lung disease. If the situation doesn’t change, Kazakhstan will spend much more on healthcare, health specialists say.

«A lung transplant costs $93,500 on average, excluding cost of patient transportation and other expenditures are excluded. According to forecasts, those who consume vape products today will likely need such medical interventions in the future,» the document says.

Ban advocates also believe that it will not only improve health and increase longevity but also contribute toward environment protection.

In May 2023, Deputy Director of the Department for Organizing of Medical Assistance Gulnar Sarsenbayeva reported that the number of Kazakhstani teenagers using vape products is growing. The vast majority of them are boys. At the same time, the health system reports a growing number of those who suffer from lung diseases. The ministry hasn’t ruled out that this tendency might be related to e-cigarettes.

Who opposes the ban on vaping? The vape community has opposed the ban. Its representatives do not mind the government imposing tight control over the sale and import of vape products, but they do not want authorities to ban vaping completely.