Shadow market of vapes in Ukraine: 94% of electronic cigarettes sold illegally

According to glavcom.ua: The market of electronic cigarettes in Ukraine is gradually growing, but there are problems with illegal products. The CEO of the 'Ukrtyun' Association, Nataliya Fesiun, emphasized that bans without effective control only promote the 'shadow' market. She urged the government to seriously address this issue.

Introducing any bans without proper control and enforcement is ineffective and contributes to the development of the 'shadow' market. The only thing the state should do is to seriously tackle the problem, - emphasized Nataliya Fesiun.

The situation is complicated by the increase in the illegal market for electronic cigarettes, as even local deputies and smugglers continue to open illegal sales points. Changes in legislation threaten the legal market, turning it into an illegal one.

Raising excise taxes on tobacco products leads to an increase in the popularity of electronic cigarettes among consumers, but also encourages illegal manufacturers to evade taxation and violate legislation, resulting in a decrease in the volumes of the legal market. It is necessary to take effective measures to curb the illegal sector and preserve legal sales of electronic cigarettes in Ukraine.