(MENAFN) Russian President Vladimir Putin has indicated his support for a proposal put forward by public health activists and lawmakers to enforce a full prohibition on the sale of vapes throughout Russia.

During a visit to a sports and education center in Samara on Thursday, Ekaterina Leshchinskaya, head of the public movement Healthy Fatherland, raised the topic with the president, highlighting successful implementations in neighboring nations and other regions globally.

In reply, Putin expressed agreement and noted that Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko had also expressed support for the initiative. “You see, [Chernyshenko] is nodding.

Our government supports this,” Putin remarked.

He further emphasized that, alongside a legal ban, public education campaigns are crucial, especially to reach younger populations.

Estimates cited by a news agency suggest that between 3.5 and 4 million Russians currently use vapes.

In August, Putin approved a pilot scheme in the Nizhny Novgorod Region to evaluate regional restrictions on vape sales, with the plan already endorsed by the consumer protection authority Rospotrebnadzor.

The movement toward a complete e-cigarette ban is gaining traction in parliament. State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin has labeled vapes as “liquid poison” and cautioned about their health hazards.

According to Volodin, a public survey of 265,000 participants showed that 74% supported an outright ban.

He noted that previous “half-measures,” including the 2023 prohibition on vape sales to minors, have proven inadequate.

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