Putin signs law on state regulation of tobacco products turnover

MOSCOW. June 13 (Interfax) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed the law "On the State Regulation of Production and turnover of tobacco products, nicotine-containing products and raw materials for their production."

The document has been posted on the official legal formation web portal.

The State Duma passed the law on June 1 and the Federation Council approved it on June 7.

The main draft law (N310882-8), as well as corresponding amendments to other legislative acts (N310820-8), were prepared by the Ministry of Finance.

As a model, the Ministry proposed using the current system of state regulation and control of the alcohol market. Previously, Russia did not have a separate law regulating the production and circulation of tobacco and nicotine-containing products.

The document provides for licensing the production and import of tobacco, nicotine-containing products and raw materials for their production. It also provides for the obligation of manufacturers to register their main equipment for the production of products. If the equipment is not in use, it must be mothballed.

The law does not provide for licensing retail sales, but it provides for a ban on the retail sale of tobacco products and nicotine-containing products not in consumer packaging, separate restrictions on the movement of products, the mandatory presence of accompanying documents, and labeling while in distribution.

It is also expected that the functions of Rosalkogolregulirovanie will be expanded, giving it the right to control the sector of tobacco and nicotine-containing products. The service, as previously reported, could be renamed Rosalkogoltabakkontrol.

The law will come into force on September 1, 2023, and the articles introducing licensing, starting March 1, 2024.