Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Uzbekistan proposes to ban the sale of electronic cigarettes and tobacco heating systems in the country.

The Ministry of Health of Uzbekistan has published a bill banning the sale of electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco systems.

According to the Ministry of Health, between 2021 and 2023, 5.4 million pieces of electronic cigarettes worth US$28.5 million were legally imported into Uzbekistan, and they also tried to import another 11.8 billion soums illegally.

Monitoring has shown that adolescents and young adults are three times more likely to use e-cigarettes than adults.

Some 26,600 boys and 8,600 girls of school age are prone to smoking. Without action, every fifth (20%) young Uzbek citizen may suffer from nicotine addiction in the future.

The increase in the number of e-cigarettes seized from teenagers in recent years has become an alarming trend, prompting the proposal of this bill.

Six cases were detected in 2019, 27 in 2020, 31 in 2021, 856 in 2022, and 1,040 in 2023. This indicates an increase in the use of e-cigarettes among teenagers.

According to the draft law, it is proposed to establish liability for offenses related to the circulation of these products.

In particular, it is proposed to include provisions in the Criminal Code and the Code of Administrative Responsibility providing for punishment for various actions related to prohibited products.

In particular, the production, manufacture, acquisition, storage, transportation or transfer of tobacco products prohibited in Uzbekistan, devices for the consumption of tobacco and nicotine, as well as electronic cigarettes and cigarillos, as well as their sale, import and export from the territory of Uzbekistan will be punished.

Violators who commit these actions may be fined in the amount of 200 to 400 sizes of basic estimated value, or receive correctional labor for up to three years, or restriction of liberty for a term of three to five years, or imprisonment for a term of up to five years.

For actions on a significant scale, with the conspiracy of a group of persons, repeat offenders or dangerous repeat offenders, as well as with the use of official position, a fine of 400 to 600 sizes of basic estimated value or imprisonment of five to seven years is envisaged.

Penalties ranging from seven to twelve years can be imposed for “very large scale” and participation in an “organized group.”

Discussion of the project will last until 18 April.