Top Takeaways:

• Ukrainian MPs have filed Bill No. 13548 in the Verkhovna Rada, aiming for a comprehensive ban on the production, import, export, and sale of e‑cigarettes, refill containers, and e‑liquids to curb rising nicotine addiction, especially among youth.
• The bill cites alarming usage data from the Public Health Center: over 70% of daily smokers aged 18–29 use electronic smoking devices, while around 40% of adolescents aged 13–15 have tried e‑cigarettes and approximately 20% are current users.
• The draft law highlights health risks—including carcinogens and toxic agents like formaldehyde, acrolein, diacetyl, heavy metals, and more in aerosol emissions.

Ukraine is moving toward one of the strictest anti-vaping measures in Europe. On July 28, a group of MPs submitted Bill No. 13548 to the Verkhovna Rada, proposing a sweeping prohibition on the production, import, export, and wholesale and retail circulation of electronic cigarettes, refill containers, and e-liquids.

The draft law, which amends existing legislation on tobacco control and state regulation of nicotine products, was introduced as a “necessary safeguard” for public health. “The purpose of the draft law is to protect the health of the population of Ukraine by legislating a complete ban on the production, import… and circulation of e‑cigarettes, refillable containers and liquids used in e‑cigarettes in Ukraine,” the explanatory note states.

Rising use among young people is at the heart of the concern. The Public Health Center reports that over 70% of daily smokers aged 18–29 in Ukraine now use electronic smoking devices. Among adolescents aged 13–15, approximately 40% have tried e‑cigarettes, and around 20% are current users. Furthermore, one in five individuals aged 15–16 used an e‑cigarette in the past month.

Support for a ban is driven by accumulating evidence of health risks associated with vaping. The draft cites lung conditions such as EVALI—noting more than 3,000 cases and nearly 70 deaths in the U.S.—as well as bronchiolitis obliterans, lipoid pneumonia, and spontaneous pneumothorax.

Beyond that, e‑cigarette aerosols may contain a cocktail of harmful substances, including formaldehyde, acrolein, acetaldehyde, diacetyl, and heavy metals like cadmium, lead, and nickel—all linked to respiratory and cardiovascular disease.

The authors underscore that the bill introduces no additional budgetary burden, as enforcement would rely on existing frameworks and international technical assistance. If passed, Ukraine would join nations such as India, Brazil, Singapore, and Thailand in applying a complete ban on vaping products.

As the legislation awaits committee debates and a possible vote, its passage could reshape the nicotine industry in Ukraine. Stakeholders in manufacturing, distribution, and retail—both domestic and international—will need to stay alert to potential regulatory overhaul and emerging legal precedents.