Kazakhstan Considers Stricter Penalties for Vape Storage and Delivery

Kazakhstan Penalties Vape Storage Delivery

Kazakhstan’s Majilis (lower house of parliament) is set to review amendments to its criminal legislation that would introduce stricter penalties for offenses related to electronic cigarettes (vapes), including for their storage and delivery. This move comes after an official ban on the import, sale, and production of vapes was implemented in the country last year.

Majilis deputy Abzal Kuspan, head of the working group, explained that despite the existing ban and criminal liability under Article 301-1 for the sale, import, and production of vapes, law enforcement frequently uncovers large quantities of these products stored in warehouses across Kazakhstan. Currently, there is no specific criminal liability for the mere storage of vapes, a loophole the proposed amendments seek to close.

Under the existing law, selling or distributing vapes can result in fines up to 200 Monthly Calculation Index (MCI) units (approx. 786,400 tenge in 2025) or other penalties. Importing or producing them carries much steeper fines up to 2,000 MCI (approx. 7.8 million tenge) or imprisonment up to two years. For offenses by criminal groups or involving large-scale profits, fines can reach 5,000 MCI (approx. 19.6 million tenge) or imprisonment up to five years.

The new proposals would introduce criminal liability for storing vapes in large quantities, with a threshold reportedly set at a value equivalent to 2,000 MCI. If the stored amount is below this value, it would still be a violation but might not attract criminal charges. Similarly, couriers delivering illegally purchased vapes could face penalties if the total value of the shipment exceeds this threshold. Kuspan clarified that personal consumption of vapes is not a crime, and storing them at home for personal use without intent to sell is not prohibited. “No one will be punished for personal consumption. Only for the purpose of distribution,” he explained, emphasizing the high threshold for criminal liability regarding storage.

This legislative push follows instances of enforcement, such as a foreigner recently sentenced to one year in prison for attempting to import 4,550 vapes into the Mangistau region.

Matthew Ma
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