Market & legal data in the tobacco alternatives sector in Kazakhstan

12th September 2024: Commonwealth of Independent States: The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS, an intergovernmental organisation in Eurasia, consisting of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan) has finished creating an action plan for all member states to prevent the harmful effects of tobacco and nicotine products on public health, media reports. Representatives from several member states have participated in a videoconference to discuss and make final edits to the plan. After the meeting, it was decided to get the plan approved domestically and then submit it to the CIS Council of Heads of Government for further review.
30th August 2024: Kazakhstan: As of today, a new text warning must be displayed in places where tobacco products are sold, including heated tobacco products (HTPs) and devices, according to our Compliance Calendar.
12th August 2024: EAEU: The Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) – the executive body of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) – has told TobaccoIntelligence that the revised draft of the technical regulation for nicotine-containing products was recently reviewed at a meeting of the working group held on 16th July. At the meeting, it was decided to conduct a metrological expertise and regulatory impact assessments of the regulation. The EEC also said the draft regulation will have to undergo the internal approval process and further consideration at the meetings of the EEC and the EEC Council. The draft would provide the common product, notification and labelling requirements for vaping products and heated tobacco for all EAEU member states. However, considering the recent ban on vaping products in Kazakhstan, we understand the standard rules, if adopted, would not apply in Kazakhstan in relation to vaping products.
24th July 2024: Kazakhstan: The health minister has issued an order to change the text of the warning displayed in places where tobacco products are sold, media reports. The following notice must be displayed in places that sell tobacco products, including heated tobacco and heated tobacco devices: “The sale of tobacco products, including products with heated tobacco, hookah tobacco, hookah mixture, systems for heating tobacco, to persons under the age of twenty-one is prohibited.” The order reportedly comes into force on 30th August.
22nd July 2024: Kazakhstan: The government has increased minimum retail prices for heated tobacco products (HTPs), media reports. The minimum retail price for HTPs is KZT820 (€1.60) as of 1st July 2024 and will increase to KZT870 (€1.70) as of 1st January 2025.
28th May 2024: Kazakhstan: The government aims to increase the minimum retail price for heated tobacco products (HTPs), media reports. The Ministry of Finance has published a draft amendment to the order “On establishing minimum retail prices for filtered and non-filtered cigarettes, cigarillos and products with heated tobacco”. If adopted, the minimum retail price for HTPs would be KZT820 (€1.70) as of 1st July 2024 and KZT870 (€1.80) as of 1st January 2025. The draft amendment is in public consultation until 10th June.
20th March 2024: Kazakhstan: The Mazhilis (the lower chamber of parliament) has agreed with the senators’ additions to the bill banning the sale, distribution, and import of vapes and has sent it to the president for signature, media reports. The bill seeks to ban and criminalise the sale of vaping products in the country and introduce criminal liability for the sale of banned non-smoking tobacco products (nasvay, snus). Earlier this year, a spokesman from the Ministry of Health said in an interview that the implementation of the vaping ban is mainly due to health and under-age usage. The spokesman also added that while the existing health code includes measures aimed at preventing the consumption of vapes in the country, they do not work.
15th March 2024: Kazakhstan: Zharkynbek Amantai, a member of the Mazhilis (lower chamber of parliament), has called for action against sellers of nasvay, which is prohibited in Kazakhstan, media reports. Nasvay is a traditional oral tobacco product consisting of a moist, powdered tobacco dip consumed mostly in Afghanistan and surrounding countries.
13th December 2023: Kazakhstan: Several members of the Mazhilis (lower chamber of the Parliament) have proposed an amendment prohibiting tobacco companies in Kazakhstan from engaging in charity, media reports. The restriction would be added to the country's Health Code.
15th September 2023: Kazakhstan: The Ministry of National Economy published for public consultation a consultative document of regulatory policy to the draft of the Tax Code. The consultation will last until 29th September. The consultative document seeks to gradually increase the excise tax rate on cigarettes in Kazakhstan with the aim to harmonise excise tax rates on cigarettes in line with the rates in the other Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) countries (Armenia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and Russia). The document does not address any proposed changes to the tax regime for heated tobacco consumables.
4th May 2023: Kazakhstan: The Ministry of Finance is aiming to increase the minimum retail prices for heated tobacco products, media reports. If the draft amendment is adopted, after a public consultation due to end on 19th May, the minimum price for a pack of 20 consumables will rise to KZT710 ($1.60) on 1st July, then again to KZT770 ($1.73) on 1st January 2024.
22nd February 2023: Kazakhstan: The Ministry of Health has drawn up a proposed decree on graphic warnings about the dangers of using heat-not-burn (HnB) and other tobacco and nicotine products. The draft is open to public consultation until 3rd March.

LATEST ALERTS

Alternative tobacco and nicotine products in Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan to introduce criminal liability for violation of the existing ban on snus

Demand for KT&G’s next-gen products contributes to record-high Q3 revenues

Ploom X international expansion has helped to boost JTI’s Q3 performance

Top changes that matter in this month’s Policy Radar update, April 2024

Kazakhstan: heated tobacco regulation, March 2024

Kazakhstan: oral tobacco and nicotine pouch regulation, March 2024

Heated tobacco markets database

Heated tobacco pricing tracker

TobaccoIntelligence compliance calendar

Tamarind Intelligence Policy Radar, October

Regulatory database: global alerts round-up, October

Sign up to our newsletter

LATEST ALERTS

Alternative tobacco and nicotine products in Kazakhstan

Sign up to our newsletter

Start your FREE trial