Russia Proposes Heavier Fines for Selling Cigarettes and E-Cigarettes to Minors
The leader of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR), Leonid Slutsky, has suggested increasing fines for individuals, public officials, and corporations who sell cigarettes and e-cigarettes to minors. Slutsky has already submitted a bill to the Russian government for review.
The proposed amendments to the Code of Administrative Offenses (КоАП) suggest fines ranging from 60,000 to 200,000 rubles for individuals, 300,000 to 400,000 rubles for public officials, and 600,000 to 800,000 rubles for legal entities. In addition, their activities may be suspended for up to 90 days.
According to Slutsky, current laws already include penalties for selling these products to minors, but some vendors are still willing to take risks to increase their income. The Liberal Democratic Party believes that the current sanctions are insufficient and proposes stronger penalties for repeat violations.
In a separate development, the Russian State Duma has passed a law in its third reading to increase consumption taxes on tobacco and alcoholic beverages. This change, initiated by the Russian government, will be implemented from next year.
Earlier, Russia introduced a law imposing fines of up to 25,000 rubles for transporting products with excessive nicotine content within the country without proper labeling. The legislation was signed by President Vladimir Putin.
