BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 16. Azerbaijan plans
to regulate fines and enforcement mechanisms for the use of
electronic cigarettes through legal acts following the adoption of
the new law, MP Soltan Mammadov, a member of the parliament’s
Health Committee, told journalists, Trend reports.


Mammadov noted that harmful habits are still a thorn in the side
when it comes to non-communicable diseases, and the risks of
tobacco use and traditional smoking are well known to the
public.


"According to statistics from the World Health Organization
(WHO), even in some developed countries, electronic cigarette use
is widespread, particularly among minors," Mammadov said.


He added that usage among minors is roughly ten times higher
than among adults, which suggests that a good number of youngsters
are taking the plunge into vaping, even if they do not use
traditional tobacco products.


The new bill aims to clarify the classification of tobacco
products, drawing a clear line between traditional tobacco, heated
tobacco products, and where electronic cigarettes fit into the mix.
Mammadov emphasized that the proposed regulations are informed by
global experience, where some countries have banned e-cigarettes
entirely while others impose strict usage restrictions or chemical
content regulations.







"Implementing restrictions on tobacco products, including
electronic cigarettes containing carcinogens or harmful chemicals
even with low or no nicotine, is a step toward protecting public
health and preventing the rise of certain diseases," he noted.


As he pointed out, the legislation also tackles the growing wave
of e-cigarette use among schoolchildren, shining a spotlight on the
pressing nature of the issue.


Mammadov posited that for any legislative framework to achieve
efficacy, punitive measures against infractions are imperative, and
the quantum of penalties along with ancillary enforcement
modalities will be delineated via pertinent statutory instruments
post-enactment of the law.


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