Russia cracks down on illegal e-cigarette trade; carrying more than five unmarked e-cigarettes will

According to Russian media reports, Russian President Vladimir Putin recently signed a new law aimed at cracking down on the illegal trade and circulation of nicotine-containing products by restricting the amount of unmarked nicotine products that can be carried if they do not comply with Russia’s relevant labeling regulations. The law has been published on the official legal information portal.
Under the new law, nicotine products carried by individuals must comply with Russian labeling requirements. Unmarked products, including e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products, will face strict transport limits. Specifically, individuals aged 18 and over may now carry no more than 200 heated tobacco products. For e-cigarettes, the total e-liquid volume must not exceed 20 ml, and the quantity must not exceed five devices.
The report noted that in recent years, the illegal market for nicotine products has expanded rapidly in Russia. According to expert estimates, by mid-2022, illegal e-liquid and disposable e-cigarette products had already accounted for 90% of this product category in the Russian market, growing by an average of 20% annually. This trend has raised serious concern in Russia and prompted the latest legislative crackdown.
This new regulation is similar to Russia’s previous regulatory policies for conventional tobacco products. Under the current rules, individuals aged 18 and over may transport no more than 200 unmarked cigarettes (or 50 cigars) within Russia.