Tajikistan has put ban on the importation, manufacturing and sale of smokeless products, with the exception of nasvay.
A resolution issued by Tajikistan’s chief sanitary inspector on October 21, 2022 introduces a ban on the importation, manufacturing and sale of smokeless products, non-tobacco [nicotine] products, snus, with the exception of nasvay.
Khovar news agency says Deputy Minister of Health and Social Protection of the Population, Abdukholiq Amirzoda, informed parliamentarians on this on November 21 during a meeting of the working group on implementation of the country’s law on restricting the use of tobacco products.
Nasvay is a moist, powdered tobacco dip consumed mostly in Central Asia and Afghanistan. Nasvay is stuffed in the floor of the mouth under the lower lip, or inside the cheek, for extended periods of time, usually for 15 to 30 minutes. It is similar to dipping tobacco and snus.
Snus is a tobacco product, originating from a variant of dry snuff in early 18th-century Sweden. It is placed between the upper lip and gum for extended periods. Snus is not fermented. Although used similarly to American dipping tobacco, snus does not typically result in the need for spitting and, unlike nasvay, snus is steam-pasteurized.
A draft law on making amendments to the country’s law on restricting the use of tobacco products was reportedly presented at the meeting of the working group.
The draft law, in particular, provides for prohibiting the importation, manufacturing, storage, export and sale of smokeless tobacco products such as snus and nicotine pouches (nicpacks)
Pure nicotine pouches work in a similar way to snus but are free of tobacco and contain only the nicotine ingredient. This is extracted from the tobacco plant and crystalized into a type of salt, excluding any plant matter. The products are then filled with cellulose granules to thicken the pouch and flavoring is added.
At the same time, the working group members propose to equate smokeless tobacco products and non-tobacco nicotine products to cigarettes.
Besides, they propose to set the minimum retail price for tobacco products. This measure does not apply to wholesale.
It is to be noted the sale of smokeless tobacco products is prohibited in 45 Parties of the world that have ratified WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). Most of these bans are partial.
