By Timothy S. Donahue

Top Takeaways:

• Policy extension: Kyrgyzstan to extend e-cigarette import ban another six months starting July 10
• Scope: Ban covers disposable vapes and nicotine liquids under EAEU HS code 2404
• Market signal: Rising imports before the ban highlight persistent consumer demand

Kyrgyzstan is doubling down on its vape crackdown.

The government plans to extend its ban on e-cigarette imports for another six months, continuing a rolling restriction that officials say is aimed at curbing youth nicotine use and tightening control over the country’s fast-growing market.

According to local media outlet Reporter.kg, the new extension will take effect July 10, immediately following the expiration of the current restriction.

The Ministry of Economy said authorities intend to “continue strictly regulating the market for nicotine-containing products,” signaling no near-term shift in policy.

The ban is broad in scope.

It applies to electronic cigarettes and nicotine delivery systems, including disposable vapes, as well as nicotine-containing e-liquids for use in refillable devices, including cartridges and tanks. Both categories fall under EAEU HS code 2404, which has become the focal classification for nicotine products across the Eurasian Economic Union.

This marks the latest extension of a policy that has been in effect for more than a year.

Kyrgyzstan first introduced the import ban on July 1, 2025, initially covering a six-month period through January 2026. The restriction was then extended once, and the current order was signed in late December 2025 by Adylbek Kasymaliev, head of the Cabinet of Ministers.

The government is now preparing to extend the measure again, continuing what has effectively become a stopgap regulatory approach. Officials have directly tied the extension to public health concerns.

According to the report, authorities cited the country’s law “On the Protection of Citizens’ Health” and the need for a “systematic fight against nicotine dependence,” which they say is reaching “epidemic proportions” among young people.

That framing reflects broader concerns across emerging markets, where regulators are increasingly linking the rapid rise in disposable vapes and flavored nicotine products to youth uptake. Kyrgyz officials have also cited market dynamics.

The Ministry of Economy previously warned about the “uncontrolled spread of new forms of nicotine delivery,” indicating that existing regulatory tools have struggled to keep pace with product innovation and distribution channels.

Import data underscores that challenge. Before the ban took effect, Kyrgyzstan imported nearly 50 tons of e-cigarettes in 2023. That figure rose to 89 tons in 2024, reflecting rapid growth in the category.

Even as restrictions approached, demand remained strong. In the first eight months of 2025, imports totaled 12.4 tons, reflecting continued consumer interest despite looming controls.