The law prohibiting the import, export, production, storage, wholesale and retail sale, and use of electronic cigarettes and their components in Azerbaijan is set to come into force on April 1, according to the draft amendment to the "Bill on Tobacco and Tobacco Products," discussed in its second reading at today's parliamentary plenary session.
Report informs that in the first reading, the law initially set the effective date as February 1, 2026.
According to the draft, nicotine-containing electronic cigarettes are classified as tobacco products.
An electronic cigarette is defined as a product intended for inhalation into the human body via a device, with or without a cartridge or bottle, containing nicotine or nicotine-free vapor, except for food products, tobacco products, medicines, and medical devices. The device can be reusable or refillable with single-use cartridges.
The draft specifies that heated tobacco products will not be considered electronic cigarettes. Heated tobacco products are made from tobacco (or tobacco blends) and non-tobacco components, producing a nicotine-containing aerosol for inhalation during the heating process without combustion or smoke formation.
The clarification of definitions and introduction of new terms will allow for more precise legal classification and differentiation of tobacco products, including heated tobacco products and electronic cigarettes.