Tag: Russia

  • Heated, Oral Tobacco Output Increases in Russia

    Heated, Oral Tobacco Output Increases in Russia

    Photo: Delovoy Petersburg

    Cigarette manufacturers in Russia produced 182 billion cigarettes in 2023, reports CRPT, which operates the Honest Mark product labeling system. Accounting for 87.7 percent of domestic tobacco production, cigarette manufacturing was largely stable (up 1 percent) from the previous year.

    Production of heated tobacco products, by contrast, jumped 26 percent to 1 billion packs, claiming 10 percent of the Russian tobacco market in 2023. Output of oral tobacco products more than doubled to over 5.8 million. Production of cigarillos increased to 61.5 million packs in 2023 from 32 million in 2022.

    The only categories of tobacco products whose production decreased in 2022-2023 were cigars and smoking tobacco, according to CRPT. The production of cigars fell by 38 percent to 4.2 million packs, and smoking tobacco decreased by 8 percent to 1.3 million packs.

    Domestic tobacco companies manufactured 96.6 percent of the nicotine products on the Russian market in 2023.

    Following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, leading international nicotine companies, such as British American Tobacco and Imperial Brands have sold their operations to domestic investors.

    The multinationals that remain are finding it increasingly difficulty to extract themselves from the market due to onerous government restrictions on such transactions.

  • Russia Set to Criminalize Illegal E-liquid Trafficking

    Russia Set to Criminalize Illegal E-liquid Trafficking

    Photo: diy7

    Traffickers of illegal vape liquids could face up to seven years in prison in Russia if a proposal by the Committee of the Federation Council on Economic Policy becomes law, reports AIF.

    Lawmakers are concerned about the ingredients in illegal vapes, which evade regulatory scrutiny.

    Anatoly Vyborny, Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Security and Anti-Corruption, supported the provision, saying that the measure would help protect the health of young Russians.

    Currently, in Russia, there is no criminal liability for the illegal import of vaporizers and e-liquids.

  • Industry Group Lobbies Against Vape Flavor Ban

    Industry Group Lobbies Against Vape Flavor Ban

    Photo: fotofabrika

    The Russian Union of Nicotine Industry Enterprises (Spini) has called on the government to exclude food flavorings and nicotine salts from the list of active ingredients and additives that are expected to be banned by the Ministry of Health for issues of nicotine dependence, reports ECigIntelligence.

    Representatives of Spini, which has more than 50 members, have sent a corresponding letter to the minister of finance asking for the exception to the ban.

  • Ukraine Latest Market for KT&G’s e-Cigarette ‘Lil SOLID’

    Ukraine Latest Market for KT&G’s e-Cigarette ‘Lil SOLID’

    Lil Solid device from KT&G

    KT&G’s cigarette-type e-cigarette, Lil SOLID, and its exclusive heatstick, Fiit, were launched in Ukraine on Sept. 7.

    This is the second achievement of collaboration between KT&G and Philip Morris International (PMI) following the launch of the product in Russia, according to an article in Business Korea.

    KT&G and PMI are stepping up their efforts to penetrate the global e-cigarette market as they expanded their presence to Ukraine in Eastern Europe about three weeks after the launch of Lil SOLID in Russia on Aug. 17. Ukraine has a population of about 42 million. Like Russia, Ukraine has many consumers who have interest in e-cigarettes.

    In Ukraine, Lil SOLID comes in three colors — dark navy, white and blue. Its exclusive stick also comes in three types — Fiit REGULAR, Fiit VIOLA, and Fiit CRISP. They are the same products as those launched in Russia.

    Under the deal with KT&G, PMI will fully manage product sales by utilizing its resources, knowledge and infrastructure in the Ukrainian market.

  • New Regulations are Restricting the Russian Vapor Market

    New Regulations are Restricting the Russian Vapor Market

    Russia
    Credit: Jaunt and Joy

    Since Russia’s anti-smoking legislative campaign began in 2013 by restricting smoking in public places and banning tobacco advertising, promotions, and sponsorships, the Russian government has been tightening its grip on tobacco manufacturing, sales, and permitted consumption. Vapor products are the latest next-generation tobacco product to catch the ire of regulators.

    On July 31, 2020, Russian Federation President, Vladimir Putin, approved new amendments to the country’s Tobacco Control Law that was initiated by Russia’s Parliament. The main thrust of the new amendments is to unify the regulation of tobacco and other nicotine products, especially e-cigarettes.

    The amendments introduce a new category of “nicotine-containing products” (NCPs) which includes heated tobacco products, solutions, liquids and gels containing nicotine, according to an article on mondaq.com, an information platform. NCPs, like vapor products, are now subject to the same restrictions and prohibitions imposed upon traditional cigarettes.

    The new law also introduces a definition of “devices for consumption of nicotine-containing products” which includes electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) and heated tobacco devices (heat-not-burn) except for those registered as medical devices and medicines.

    The new law prohibits:

    • The sale of NCPs, hookahs and devices for NCPs consumption to persons under the age of 18.
    • The sale of NCPs via vending machines and the Internet, as well as open displays in stores.
    • The sale of a new NCP in the absence of specific regulations and requirements.
    • The consumption of NCPs in restaurants and commercial facilities.
    • The advertising, promotion, sponsorship by and demonstration of NCPs, hookahs and devices for NCPs consumption and their trademarks, including the use of such trademarks for other goods.

    Adults are allowed to purchase and use NCPs only in locations where the sale and smoking of cigarettes is already permitted, according to the story

    The sale of chewing, sucking and snuffing NCPs is now prohibited. The law also forbids any food products containing nicotine except for food products containing nicotine in natural form. The law establishes the maximum nicotine content at 20mg per 1 ml in liquids used in ENDS products. However, if such e-liquid contains zero nicotine, it will still be classified as a nicotine containing product.

    The government is planning to amend the existing technical regulations on tobacco products to address the sale and use of NCPs.

    The new law came into effect on July 31, 2020, save for certain rules that provide for a transition period. The prohibition against use of NCPs in restaurants and cafes enters into effect on October 30, 2020, while the restrictions on retail sales and the prohibitions regarding advertising, promotion and sponsorship of NCPs, hookahs and devices for NCPs consumption become effective on January 28, 2021.

  • Russia Adopts Bill to Restrict Vapor Products

    Russia Adopts Bill to Restrict Vapor Products

    Credit: Alexander Smagin

    The State Duma MPs in Russia have adopted a bill restricting the use of electronic cigarettes and hookahs.

    According to a statement from the lawmaking authority, the measure sets restrictions on the use of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) and hookahs inside certain territories, premises and objects; issues requirements for demonstration of electronic smoking articles in audiovisual works for minors and adults.

    Moreover, the document restricts the sale of vapor products and bans their sale to minors and involvement of children in the use of them, according to a Russian state information agency.

    There is also a proposal to introduce administrative fines for violations of the imposed restrictions.