MINSK, 6 February (BelTA) – Plans have been made to introduce legislation in Belarus in order to step up requirements for licensing the trade in electronic cigarettes and corresponding liquids. The draft law was discussed as Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko met with top officials of the Council of Ministers, BelTA has learned.
Aleksandr Lukashenko remarked: “Medics are worried about the growing popularity of electronic cigarettes. Particularly among young Belarusians: students of higher education institutions and of secondary schools. Appeals to restrict and even totally ban their production and trade are made increasingly often.”
However, the president drew attention to another aspect of the matter: “Will it lead to some kind of underground trade? I remember that when we were introducing these electronic [vaping devices], the fact was that Russia already had this pestilence. There is no border. We don’t have to allow it. But who will benefit from it? Things will be imported from over there. Things have already been imported as much as you like. Well, we decided to level the playing field. Or not? And then we come to this [bill]. As far as I understand, today we have to decide to be or not to be.”
“On the whole, I am not very well versed in smoking and alcohol. This is why I’d like specialists, who either smoke or who know this problem well, to explain what it is. They say that vaping is worse than tobacco. We will consider things and will make an appropriate decision,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said. “The key thing is that I am absolutely against both alcohol and smoking. But smoking is a terrible thing. Well, drinking 100 grams of alcohol… Who doesn’t drink alcohol? People drink it. But smoking damages your health. Medics know for sure that the primary cause of lung cancer is smoking.”
“We will endeavor to find balance. Let’s discuss it and make an appropriate decision as I’ve already said,” the president noted at the beginning of the meeting.
After the conference Antimonopoly Regulation and Trade Minister Artur Karpovich said that two variants had been discussed in the course of preparing the document. Either a complete ban on electronic smoking systems or legislative restrictions and the enforcement of new regulations.
“We’ve chosen the second option. We’ve concluded that it is necessary to keep as many entities as possible that are engaged in retail trade in nicotine-containing electronic smoking systems. Meanwhile, we need to increase retail trade licensing requirements so that every commercial entity understands the area of responsibility for crimes committed in this sphere,” the official said.
The antimonopoly regulation and trade minister pointed out that according to healthcare authorities, smoking various liquids harms people’s health. This is why the state has to enable conditions in order to preserve the nation’s health as much as possible.
“The list of commercial entities that have the right to make electronic smoking systems, import them into the country, and engage in wholesale trade is getting smaller. Meanwhile, the president backed the government’s proposal in favor of preserving a broad list of commercial entities that have the right to trade in retail. In other words, we enable a strict filter during the product’s import stage. We prohibit a broad range [of commercial entities] to engage in wholesale trade in these goods. At the same time we keep as many jobs as possible and raise licensing requirements,” the antimonopoly regulation and trade minister shared the details.
The legislation will affect not only nicotine liquids but also electronic smoking systems.
Artur Karpovich clarified that they are still discussing what requirements for retail trade will be toughened. “Today it is no secret that we have problems in this field. A bunch of retail outlets. It is often very difficult to fight them. Last year the Antimonopoly Regulation and Trade Ministry alone examined about 500 retail outlets. As many as 70% sell poor-quality goods. Goods with excessive norms and standards are often sold,” the minister noted.
The antimonopoly regulation and trade minister noted that the penalties dished out to commercial entities for detected violations are insufficiently tough and allow them to resume operations literally in a couple of days.
The Belarusian state food industry concern Belgospishcheprom came up with the bill with innovations in this field. Artur Karpovich expects this document to be brought into the parliament as early as in H1 2026 and to have incorporated the specific changes that have to be addressed.
Follow us on:
