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.
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Majilis Passes Reforms Aimed at Simplification and Differentiated Rates
Deputies in Kazakhstan’s Majilis (lower house of parliament) have approved a new Tax Code in its second reading, introducing significant changes aimed at simplifying the system and adjusting tax rates across various sectors. The reforms include setting the standard Value Added Tax (VAT) rate and outlining phased increases for excise duties on alcohol, tobacco, and heated tobacco products (HTPs).
Read moreDomestic Production Rises as Costs Increase Across Regions
Smokers in Kazakhstan are facing increasingly expensive cigarettes, with prices rising consistently month after month. According to analysis by Energyprom, the average cost of cigarettes surged by 16.5% year-on-year by the end of March 2025, with a 1% increase recorded in March alone.
Read moreA year has passed since Kazakhstan enacted a sweeping ban on the sale, manufacture, and distribution of electronic cigarettes and vaping devices on April 19, 2024. The legislation, which carries penalties ranging from fines and arrests to imprisonment and property confiscation for large-scale trafficking, aimed to curb the growing popularity of vaping, particularly among minors. However, as a “Kursiv” correspondent discovered, the ban has given rise to a thriving black market that operates under principles akin to drug trafficking, making it relatively easy to purchase these prohibited products.
Read moreThe press service of the Astana prosecutor’s office has reported that a local resident has been sentenced to a restriction of freedom for selling vaping liquids worth 64 million tenge ($120,000 USD). The man had organized a workshop to produce nicotine-containing liquids, which he then sold in several stores.
Read moreLocal police officers in Aktau, Kazakhstan have begun carrying out raids against illegal vape trade in the city. As part of their efforts to enforce the recently implemented ban on electronic cigarettes, the authorities inspected various trading locations and engaged in educational outreach with the general population.
Read moreKazakhstan has implemented a new law banning the sale, distribution, and import of vapes, commonly referred to as “disposables,” which are popular among the country’s citizens. While using vapes will not result in penalties, any involvement in their sale, distribution, or importation now carries serious criminal consequences.
Read moreKazakhstan is considering legislation to completely prohibit the sale, import, export, and production of vapes, e-cigarettes, and associated vaping liquids and flavorings (announced on Saturday, July 29, on the website of the Respublica party.). This decisive proposed ban follows efforts by legislators and health advocates seeking to combat exponentially rising vaping rates among Kazakh youth. However, the vaping industry opposes such sweeping restrictions.
Read moreCustoms officials in Zhetysu, Kazakhstan, seized 155.8 tons of electronic cigarettes worth 6.1 billion tenge at the Alakol customs post on the border with China, according to Turantimes.kz, citing the State Revenue Committee of the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Read moreVaping has become a subject of intense debate in Kazakh society, with concerns mainly focused on the unrestricted sale of vapes to minors. Kazakhstan already has legislation in place to restrict the sale of vapes to children, prohibiting their sale to individuals under the age of 18 as outlined in Article 110 of the Code “On the Health of the People and the Healthcare System of the Republic of Kazakhstan.”
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