A new draft law, No. 13548, has been registered in Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada (parliament), proposing a complete and comprehensive ban on the production, importation, wholesale and retail trade, and circulation of all electronic cigarettes, refill containers, and their liquids within the country. The bill's authors state its primary goal is to protect the health of the Ukrainian population, particularly its youth.
The push for a total prohibition is fueled by alarming statistics on youth vaping. According to surveys, nearly one in five adolescents aged 13-15 (around 20%) are current e-cigarette users, and 40% have tried them at least once. Among 15-16 year olds, half have experimented with e-cigarettes, and 19% used them in the past 30 days.
The bill's explanatory note highlights the serious health risks associated with vaping, citing the presence of carcinogens and toxic substances like formaldehyde, acrolein, and heavy metals in the aerosol. It also points to the dangers of the illicit market, where counterfeit vapes may contain dangerous impurities like vitamin E acetate (linked to the EVALI outbreak in the U.S.), and the environmental pollution from discarded cartridges and batteries.
If passed, the law would amend existing legislation on tobacco control and state regulation, removing all legal grounds for the circulation of e-cigarettes and introducing penalties for violations. The proponents reference international precedents, noting that countries like India, Brazil, and Singapore have already implemented full bans. This move would position Ukraine as one of the first European countries to adopt such a comprehensive prohibition on all vaping products.
