Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Today a law banning the sale, sale and import of vapes comes into force in Kazakhstan. Amendments to health legislation introduced changes to the Criminal Code of Kazakhstan, joining the country among the states that have banned electronic nicotine delivery systems.

The law has a new article 301-1 “Transfer of non-smoking tobacco products, electronic consumption systems (vapes), flavors and liquids for them.” Part 1 of this article provides for punishment for the sale and distribution of vapes in the form of a fine of up to 200 sizes of monthly estimated value (738,400 tenge in 2024), community service of up to 200 hours, or arrest for up to 50 days.

Part 2 of the article establishes punishment for the import and production of vapes: a fine of up to 2 thousand sizes of monthly estimated value (7.3 million tenge in 2024), community service of up to 600 hours or restriction/imprisonment for up to 2 years.

If the actions are committed by a criminal group repeatedly and are associated with the receipt of income on a particularly large scale, the punishment is toughened: a fine of up to 5 thousand sizes of monthly estimated value (18.4 million tenge in 2024), community service of up to 1,200 hours or restriction/imprisonment for up to 5 years.

It also introduces a ban on advertising of products using trademark and name elements known as smokeless tobacco products and vaping products, as well as on their advertising at various events.

The amendments include in the Code “On Public Health and the Health Care System” a precise definition of vapes: “Electronic consumption systems, vapes or electronic delivery systems for nicotine and non-nicotine products are devices (including electronic cigarettes) that, using electronic technology, (batteries) heat liquid (in cartridges, reservoirs and other containers) with or without nicotine, other chemicals, flavorings to form an aerosol that is inhaled by the user.”

It is worth noting that public health is an important factor in economic growth. According to international analysts, about 10% of the total economic damage from diseases comes from direct economic losses.

Economists claim that giving up bad habits can increase a person’s productivity by almost 30%, since a healthy worker gets sick less often and takes sick leave.