Baku: Azerbaijan has taken decisive action against electronic cigarettes by prohibiting their import, export, production, storage, wholesale and retail sale, and use, APA reports. This significant legal amendment was a focal point during a joint meeting of the Milli Majlis Committees on Agrarian Policy, Economic Policy, Industry and Entrepreneurship, and Labor and Social Policy.
According to Azeri-Press News Agency, the legislative proposal redefines nicotine-containing electronic cigarettes as tobacco products. These devices, intended for inhaling vapor into the body, are now excluded from categories such as food products, medicinal products, and medical devices. The legislation specifies that electronic cigarettes may include components like cartridges and vials, which can be reusable or refilled with disposable cartridges.
The new law distinguishes electronic cigarettes from heated tobacco products, which involve a non-burning process to produce a nicotine-containing aerosol. These products consist of a mixture of tobacco and non-tobacco components and are not classified under the electronic cigarette category.
The reclassification of nicotine-containing electronic cigarettes as tobacco products paves the way for their complete prohibition in Azerbaijan. This legislative shift aims to enhance legal clarity by differentiating between tobacco and electronic cigarettes and defining heated tobacco products.
In tandem with these legal changes, Azerbaijan is amending its Tax Code and the Law ‘On Advertising’ to reflect the new definitions. ‘Single-use electronic cigarettes’ and ‘liquids for electronic cigarettes’ are being removed from the list of excisable goods, effectively abolishing their tax rates and aligning advertising bans with the updated legislative framework.