Russia’s State Commission has officially backed a sweeping initiative to completely ban the production, import, and sale of all vapes and e-liquids. If passed, this legislation will wipe out a massive domestic market currently dominated by grey-zone sales and disposable devices.
The Russian vaping industry is facing an existential threat. Following formal support from the State Commission for Combating Illicit Trafficking of Industrial Products, lawmakers are now drafting a bill for absolute prohibition. What exactly will be outlawed? The final list is still under intense discussion, but early reports indicate it will target e-cigarettes, e-liquids, and even electronic hookahs. Ministries including Health, Industry and Trade, and Rospotrebnadzor are expected to champion the legislation.
Here is the reality of the market they are trying to dismantle. Russia currently hosts roughly 150,000 retail locations selling vape products. In 2025 alone, consumers purchased around 200 million disposable devices, generating 33.6 billion rubles in sales. However, state officials note that a massive portion of this revenue flows entirely through an unregulated grey market.
Why this sudden, aggressive push for a total ban? Public health concerns are driving the political narrative. Medical professionals, particularly in regions like Altai Krai, are reporting alarming youth initiation trends. Doctors state that children as young as eight or nine are starting to vape, resulting in minors being admitted to local addiction treatment centers. With parallel amendments already prepared for the State Duma, the window for legal vaping in Russia appears to be closing rapidly.
