Russian President Vladimir Putin has thrown his support behind a proposal to completely ban the sale of vapes (e-cigarettes) in the Russian Federation. During a visit to Samara on November 6th, Putin endorsed the initiative presented by Ekaterina Leshchinskaya, head of the "Healthy Fatherland" public movement, stating, "Our government supports this." He also emphasized the need for educational outreach to youth alongside any legislative prohibition.
This presidential backing has galvanized lawmakers, who are now signaling their intent to act quickly. State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin confirmed that deputies would support a government-led legislative initiative and consider it a priority. He noted that a social media poll he conducted showed 74% of 265,000 respondents favored a full ban on vapes and their liquids. Volodin argued that existing measures, such as the 2023 ban on sales to minors and increased penalties, have proven insufficient to protect children.
Support for a total ban is widespread across various political factions. Yaroslav Nilov of the LDPR stated, "They must be banned. And as quickly as possible," citing aggressive marketing to youth and safety incidents like device explosions. Dmitry Gusev of "A Just Russia" wrote that the health of young people is "more important than any commercial interests." Vladislav Davankov of the "New People" party also confirmed the State Duma would consider a ban in the near future.
Health experts have amplified these concerns. Medical expert Alexei Reshetun highlighted the particular danger of vaping for women of childbearing age due to the cumulative effect of harmful substances on egg cells. Dr. Pavel Berezhansky from Sechenov University stated that vaping could be two to three times more harmful than smoking a regular cigarette, referencing the lung injury syndrome EVALI and the negative impact of inhaled substances like propylene glycol, glycerin, and vitamin E. He noted that while a teen's lungs may have some capacity to recover after quitting, full elimination of settled substances is often impossible.
Despite a series of restrictions implemented since 2020—including bans on sales to minors, online sales, open displays, and flavored additives—the consensus among Russian leadership is that these measures have not been enough, paving the way for a potential complete prohibition on vape sales.
