The Kazakhstan government voted today to ban the sale, import, export, and production of electronic cigarettes as well as liquid and other flavorings for such devices. The Interdepartmental Commission voted 12:2 to completely ban the sale, import, export and production of vapes.

According to Mazhilis Deputy Nurgul Tau, members of the Interdepartmental Commission almost unanimously voted for the ban. They said: “The harm of vapes is undeniable. That is why the Ministry of Health has been sharply raising the issue of introducing a ban on the circulation of vapes since 2021. In my request, I proposed a complete ban on the sale of vapes. The struggle for the health and fate of children has yielded results! Yesterday, the members of the interdepartmental commission almost unanimously (12 against 2) voted for the introduction of a complete ban on the sale, import, export and production of vapes.”

They also noted that the Ministry of Health supports the measure and the initiative has been ongoing since 2022. This legislation was in the works since May 10th of this year following a wide-reaching ban of the use of electronic cigarettes in public spaces. The ban was precipitated by a 300% increase in the use of electronic cigarettes by minors.