Russia has taken another significant step toward eliminating legal vape sales as one of its regions approved a full retail ban effective from March 1, 2026.
The law, introduced by Governor Dmitry Makhonin and passed after two readings, prohibits sales of all electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), heated-tobacco devices and their components – regardless of nicotine content.
Individuals who violate the ban will face fines of ₽15,000 to ₽20,000 (€166 to €222), while companies could be penalised ₽50,000 to ₽100,000 (€554 to €1108). The region, Perm Krai, had already barred kiosk sales since 2024, but the new legislation closes off all remaining retail channels.
Kremlin pushes harder on national controls
This latest regional measure aligns closely with signals from Moscow. The Ministry of Finance has drafted amendments allowing regional governments across the country to impose retail bans between September 1, 2026 and September 1, 2031, with the threat of a loss of license for those who defy restrictions. These amendments are expected to be examined during the second reading of the national licensing bill.
President Vladimir Putin has publicly endorsed far tougher action. During a November visit to Samara, he backed a proposal from the pro-Kremlin youth movement Healthy Fatherland to outlaw vapes nationwide, saying, “It is important not only to make such a decision, but also to work with young people.”
For European observers used to a more consultative regulatory process, the speed and centralisation of the Kremlin’s approach stand out. Putin’s support has driven rapid legislative momentum, but critics note that Russia’s top-down policymaking leaves little room for public-health experts to shape evidence-based nicotine regulation.
The tightening of domestic nicotine policy comes as Russia remains heavily consumed by its ongoing war in Ukraine, a conflict that continues to shape political priorities and public-health spending.
Risk of fuelling an illicit market
Analysts warn that prohibition could reshape Russia’s already large vape market rather than eliminate it. Consultancy firm NeoAnalytics valued the legal sector at ₽250 billion (€2.77 billion) in 2024, and many expect demand to shift into unregulated channels if retail bans spread.
Russian lawmakers, meanwhile, have leaned on dramatic rhetoric. State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin has called vapes “liquid poison,” while other MPs frame the bans as essential to protecting young people.
However, previous measures – including the 2023 ban on sales to minors – did little to curb youth uptake, underscoring the challenges of demand-driven nicotine use in a country where strict prohibitions often prompt workarounds.
What’s next?
The regional ban will serve as an early test of how retailers, consumers and enforcement authorities respond ahead of possible nationwide measures.
As Moscow prepares to refine its licensing rules, Russia appears set on a fast track toward prohibition – a strategy presented as public-health protection, but one that carries the risk of expanding the very black market the Kremlin claims it wants to contain.
