Almaty, July 21, 2025 — The Department of State Revenues (DSR) in the Mangystau region reported significant changes in the legislation concerning the regulation of vapes and other tobacco products. The decision came into effect on June 20, 2024, after the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan signed the Law “On Amendments and Additions to Some Legislative Acts of the Republic of Kazakhstan on Health Issues.“
Ban on Vapes and Their Components
According to the new provisions of the RK Code “On the Health of the People and the Health Care System,” amendments have come into force, prohibiting:
- the import, production, sale, and distribution of non-smoking tobacco products;
- electronic consumption systems (vapes);
- flavorings and liquids for vapes.
The ban also includes smoking tobacco products, heated tobacco products, hookah tobacco, hookah mixtures, and heating systems for tobacco if they exceed permissible levels of nicotine and tar content or do not meet sanitary and epidemiological requirements.
Stricter Criminal Responsibility
New amendments have also been introduced into the Criminal Code of RK — a new Article 301-1 has been introduced, establishing criminal responsibility for violating the ban on the production, import, sale, or distribution of the specified goods.
Consequences of Violation
The distribution and sale of prohibited goods entail serious consequences:
- a fine of up to 200 MRPs (786,400 tenge);
- corrective labor;
- community work for up to 200 hours;
- arrest for up to 50 days.
For those who import or produce such goods, the punishment is more severe:
- a fine of up to 2000 MRPs (7,864,000 tenge);
- imprisonment for up to two years with confiscation of property.
Increased Responsibility for Repeated Violations
In the case of offenses committed by a group of persons or repeatedly, the punishment may increase to five years of imprisonment.
Call to Comply with the Law
The Department of State Revenues in the Mangystau region called on citizens and entrepreneurs to strictly comply with the new requirements to avoid legal consequences.
Additional Measures
On July 18, 2025, as reported in local media reports, trucks transporting prohibited vapes into Kazakhstan were detained. These measures indicate that the authorities intend to strictly control the implementation of the new legislation.
New measures are aimed at protecting the health of citizens, especially the youth, from the harmful effects of electronic cigarettes. However, like any legislative change, they may affect the market and the business sector. The next step will be monitoring their implementation and evaluating their effectiveness.
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