Russia Moves Toward Nationwide Ban on Vapes Amid Health Concerns

The Russian Parliament, the State Duma, is ready to support a bill to ban the sale of vapes in Russia, Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said. The announcement follows criticism of vape sales by Industry and Trade Minister Anton Alikhanov.

Russian MPs will back a full ban on the sale of electronic nicotine delivery devices if such a proposal comes from the government, Volodin stated.

Alikhanov recently spoke out in favor of a "total ban” on vapes, citing the ineffectiveness of age restrictions and the serious health risks involved.

"Following Minister Anton Alikhanov's statement supporting a full ban on vape sales, we expect the government to introduce the corresponding legislative initiative. Deputies will support the bill — moreover, we will prioritize its review,” Volodin told reporters, as quoted by the State Duma's website.

The Duma speaker emphasized the clear health risks of vaping:

• vape liquids contain heavy metals,
• the vapor produces toxic compounds, raising the risk of serious illnesses and harming others through secondhand exposure.

"There is a public demand for this as well — most citizens oppose the sale of such products, as shown by surveys and voter feedback,” he added.

Since April 2023, selling vapes — including nicotine-free ones — to minors has been banned in Russia. In February 2025, President Vladimir Putin signed a law increasing penalties for such violations. Fines for individuals rose from a maximum of 60,000 to 300,000 rubles; for officials, from 300,000 to 700,000 rubles; and for legal entities, from 600,000 to 2 million rubles.