Putin Signs Tobacco Law

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a new tobacco law, reports Interfax.

The legislation requires the licensing of production, tobacco imports, nicotine-containing products and raw materials. It also compels manufacturers to register their machinery and mothball any unused equipment.

While the law does not require retailers to obtain licenses, it bans the retail sale of tobacco products and nicotine-containing products not in consumer packaging and imposes restrictions on the movement of products.

Titled “On the State Regulation of Production and Turnover of Tobacco Products, Nicotine-Containing Products and Raw Materials for Their Production,” the law is modeled on Russia’s regulatory framework for the tobacco industry. Observers expect Russia to extend the Federal Service for Alcohol Market Regulation’s remit to include tobacco and nicotine-containing products.

Prepared by the Ministry of Finance, the legislation passed the State Duma on June 1 and the Federation Council on June 7. The law will come into force on Sept. 1, 2023, and the articles introducing licensing will take effect March 1, 2024.