The Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis at a meeting on 24 January passed a law in the second and third readings providing for a ban on the import and circulation of electronic cigarettes (vapes). The document was sent to the Senate for approval.
The draft law was adopted in the first reading on 7 January. The document introduces a ban on circulation (production, manufacture, storage, transportation or shipment, import and export from the territory of Uzbekistan) of electronic nicotine delivery systems, including electronic cigarettes and liquids for them.
In addition, liability is established for offenses related to the illegal introduction into circulation of smokeless tobacco products and nicotine consumption devices, including electronic cigarettes.
Minister of health Asilbek Khudayarov during the first reading spoke about the harm of e-cigarettes and noted their spread among young people.
In the second reading, deputy Tohir Polvonov stated that, based on the proposals of parliamentarians, the responsible committee improved the provisions of the document while “preserving its concept”. According to him, the main changes were technical and editorial.
During the article-by-article review of the law and voting, no deputy asked a question. All articles and the law itself were adopted in the second reading without a single vote against.
135 deputies voted “for”, 2 abstained, 1 did not vote, 0 voted against. For the adoption of the law in the third reading and its submission to the Senate, 133 deputies voted in favor, none abstained or opposed, and 5 did not vote. In the first reading, 133 deputies voted for the adoption of the law, 3 opposed, 1 abstained and 2 did not vote.
Now, the document must be approved by the Senate and then signed by president to be enacted.
The Milliy Tiklanish party who tried to push the law through in the previous convocation of the parliament (before the October 2024 elections) said it had failed due to “lobbyists”.
