Kyrgyzstan opened public consultation on draft legislation that would tighten the regulation of hookah use by banning water pipes, shisha, and nargile in all public places. Under the proposal, hookah consumption would only be allowed in specially designated, licensed venues equipped with ventilation systems and restricted to adults aged 18 and over. The draft also amends the country’s licensing and permitting law, formally requiring businesses offering hookah services to obtain a dedicated operating license, marking a significant step toward stricter oversight of the sector.
Tag: kyrgyzstan
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Kyrgyzstan Bans Vape Imports
The Kyrgyz Cabinet of Ministers approved a six-month temporary ban on the import of electronic cigarettes and their cartridges, according to a new government decree. The restriction will take effect 15 days after its official publication and is aimed at curbing nicotine addiction and reducing the growing use of e-cigarettes, particularly among young people. Authorities said the rapid spread of electronic cigarettes among youth in recent years has raised serious public health concerns, prompting the move to limit the uncontrolled entry of these products into the country.
The decision aligns Kyrgyzstan with a broader regional trend, as Kazakhstan imposed a full ban on the sale and advertising of e-cigarettes in June 2024, while Uzbekistan introduced restrictions on their distribution starting in November 2025.
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Kyrgyz Health Minister Proposes Raising Tobacco Taxes
Kyrgyzstan’s Minister of Health, Erkin Checheybayev, proposed raising excise taxes on tobacco products as part of a broader effort to improve public health, particularly among the country’s youth. Roughly 22% of adults in Kyrgyzstan smoke.
Earlier this week, a delegation from the WHO FCTC Knowledge Hub met with Checheybayev to present the TETSiM simulation model, an analytical tool demonstrating how raising excise taxes can both reduce tobacco consumption and increase government revenue. The discussion focused on strategies to reduce tobacco affordability and consumption through effective taxation measures. “Despite the public health burden, Kyrgyzstan’s current tobacco excise tax remains below 50% of the retail price of cigarettes, significantly lower than the WHO-recommended threshold of 75% or more,” The Times of Central Asia said.
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Kyrgyzstan to Ban E-cigarettes
Photo: Taco Tuinstra Kyrgyzstan will ban vapes from mid-2025.
President Sadyr Japarov signed a law prohibiting the import, circulation and use of electronic cigarettes.
After July 1, 2025, those caught vaping will risk a fine $115 and sellers of e-cigarettes will be subject of a penalty ranging from $230 to $750.
Importing electronic cigarettes will result in correctional labor for two months to one year or a fine of up to $1,390. Meanwhile, importing electronic cigarettes in large quantities will result in a fine of up to $2,300 or imprisonment for up to two years.
The law, titled “On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts in the Sphere of Protecting Citizens’ Health,” will come into force on July 1, 2025.
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Kyrgyzstan Mulls Temporary Market Closure
Photo: Taco Tuinstra Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Economy and Commerce has proposed a ban on the import, transit or reexport of cigarettes for six months, reports Trend News Agency.
With the measure, the ministry aims to protect Kyrgyz citizens against counterfeit and uncertified cigarettes, which evade quality standards. It also seeks to strengthen efforts against cigarette smuggling and ensure that tax revenue projections for the state budget are met.
According to the tax service, authorities confiscated 65,231 duty-avoiding packs of cigarettes in 2023. Illicit products claimed 17.7 percent of the Kyrgyz cigarette market that year.
Many of the counterfeit products uncovered were manufactured in Serbia and the United Arab Emirates.
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Kyrgyzstan Proposes Ban on Vapes
But cigarettes will remain readily available. (Photo: Taco Tuinstra) Shairbek Tashiev, Member of Parliament in Kyrgyzstan, has initiated a bill that would amend the Code of Offenses and the Criminal Code to protect citizens’ health from tobacco and nicotine consumption and exposure to smoke, reports the AKIPress News Agency.
The amendments were submitted in February.
Tashiev proposed banning import of electronic cigarettes with a tank containing special liquid. Violators would face a fine of KGS150,000 ($1,683) to KGS200,000 or imprisonment for up to two years.
Vaping will be banned in undesignated places, with violators facing fines of KGS40,000 for individuals and KGS60,000 for legal entities.
Individuals caught selling e-cigarettes with tanks will face fines of KGS50,000, and legal entities will face fines of KGS65,000.