All parties in Russia’s parliament, the State Duma, are in support of a proposed bill that would implement a total ban on vaping devices and associated products. 

That's according Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin, who revealed on January 28 that the State Duma would be unanimously backing a draft law to end the sale of vapes in the Russian Federation.

"It is very good that all factions support this decision. We need to engage in dialogue with the government to move forward with this legislative initiative. So, let us come together and combine our efforts," he said, noting that he would like to see lawmakers hurry the draft law through parliament, aiming for its adoption by the end of the current parliamentary session. This follows previous efforts, including a bill introduced in May 2024, which has since undergone revisions to secure cross-party consensus.

In 2023, amidst growing concerns over the effects of vapes on children, Russia banned the sale of vaping devices to minors as if they were normal cigarettes. However, two years later, law makers remain unconvinced that the law has proven sufficient. Many MPs now believe that a comprehensive prohibition on the sale, import, and production of e-cigarettes and their liquids is necessary to protect public health, particularly that of young people. The proposal has also been supported by Rospotrebnadzor, the government body responsible for consumer protection and welfare. 

Among the MPs in favour of the ban, Artem Metelev, chairman of the youth policy committee, wrote in his Telegram channel that he was one of the authors of the proposed law, which would also see domestic manufacturing outlawed. Metelev, aged just 31, is a member of the ruling United Russia party. While the policy has cross-party support, Metelev complained that the Ministry of Finance has expressed reservations over the policy. 

“[The Ministry] argues that the budget would lose RUB11-15bn ($112mn-$153mn). In my opinion, these issues cannot be weighed against each other. The state will pay a much higher price – infertility, illnesses and deaths,” he wrote. “The lost revenues can be offset by increasing excise taxes on cigarettes.”