The Ban On Electronic Cigarettes in Kazakhstan Has Failed And Instead Has Driven Up The Prices On The Black Market.

According to the exclusive news report on November 4, 2025: On November 4, 2025, the Kazakhstan Social Foundation "Strategy" (ОФ «Стратегия») released a latest analysis report on the effectiveness of domestic anti-smoking policies, stating that - a series of tough bans have not reduced the number of smokers; instead, they have driven some people back to traditional cigarettes or towards the black market channels.
This study was conducted from June 20 to July 17, 2025, analyzing the regulatory changes in Kazakhstan regarding tobacco and nicotine products in recent years and comparing them with countries that have implemented "harm reduction strategies". The foundation's chairperson, Gulmira Ilyuova, pointed out that in the past 3-4 years, Kazakhstan has continuously strengthened anti-smoking measures, including: increasing tobacco taxes and fines; expanding the scope of prohibition and restrictions; prohibiting the display of tobacco products; raising the age threshold for purchasing; and completely prohibiting the import and sale of electronic cigarettes. This policy direction is consistent with the "no alternative" stance advocated by the World Health Organization (WHO) - treating all nicotine products equally. Ilyuova believes that this approach "is actually beneficial to traditional cigarettes" because alternative products are pushed out of the legal market, and the demand shifts to the gray area.
Official statistics show that the adult smoking rate in Kazakhstan remains stable at 18-20%, with no downward trend. The daily tobacco consumption in 2025 was approximately 11.94 million cigarettes. Among the 100 smokers surveyed: 52% are still using electronic cigarettes; 28% have switched to heated non-combustible products; 10% have returned to traditional cigarettes; only 5% have truly quit smoking. Electronic cigarettes have slightly decreased among young people (18-20 years old), but the number of female users aged 30-49 has increased significantly.
Due to the offline ban on sales, electronic cigarettes have shifted to online platforms and social media for sales, with prices increasing by 2 to 3 times, causing low-income groups to turn to more harmful cigarettes.