The Kazakh Green Party “Baytak” does not support smoking among residents of Kazakhstan, in particular among young people. And also categorically against smoking among persons under the age of 21.
However, smoking is a free choice of every adult, but nevertheless, “If there is a choice between a regular and an electronic cigarette, choose an electronic one. But if the choice is between an electronic cigarette and fresh air, choose fresh air”
One of the directions of the Party is the protection of the environment and public health. Vapes are less harmful compared to a regular cigarette, so why ban them if they are less harmful, strict regulation is necessary.

VAPE AND HEALTH
Electronic cigarettes appeared back in 2003. They were invented by Chinese pharmacist Hong Lik. He devoted his whole life to science and began to reflect on the dangers of cigarettes from the point of view of a scientist. He came to the conclusion that it was not nicotine itself that was harmful, but tar and smoke, and since 2003 he began to develop a prototype of a nicotine delivery system.
In 2012, a study was conducted in Greece entitled “The effect of an electronic nicotine-containing device on myocardial function in comparison with conventional cigarettes.” The conclusion of scientists: The absence of gorenje and chemical components leads to the fact that the human body absorbs less toxic substances.
Also in 2012, a research work was conducted under the title “Levels of carcinogens and toxic substances in the smoke of electronic cigarettes”.
Conclusion: “We found that the smoke of electronic cigarettes contains some toxic substances. But the level of toxins is 9 times lower than in cigarette smoke.”
Another study entitled “Comparing the effects of e-cigarette smoke and conventional cigarette smoke on indoor air quality”, and also from 2012. Conclusion: “Electronic cigarettes have very little effect on indoor air compared to tobacco cigarettes.”
Legally, in most countries, electronic cigarettes are subject to similar regulation with tobacco products.
British experts published a series of reports on vaping, on the basis of which it was found: in 2021, the proportion of ordinary cigarette smokers among British adults was, according to various surveys, from 12.7 to 14.9 percent, electronic – from 6.9 to 7.1 percent, while vaping was the most popular means of substitution therapy for quitting smoking; the success rate when using them, it reached 64.9 percent.

1. Smoking electronic cigarettes is a much safer habit than regular pipe or cigarette smoking.
   The results of a study published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine show that electronic cigarettes cause less harm to human health than conventional ones. Scientists, having studied the state of the volunteers’ body, found out that in the blood of e-cigarette smokers using these devices as a substitute for conventional ones, less toxic and carcinogenic compounds accumulate within six months than in smokers who smoke regular cigarettes with tobacco.
2. Alison Cox, the head of the British Cancer Research organization, says that about a third of the deaths of tobacco cigarette smokers are due to cancer. It is possible to reduce the mortality of smokers if you convince them to gradually switch to alternatives like electronic cigarettes or NRT or quit smoking.
   Important! E-cigarettes can also be dangerous. Just not because when they are smoked, harmful substances that disrupt metabolism enter the human body. But because in some cases the battery of such devices explodes. However, in the case of legal and labeled goods, the risk of battery explosion is only 0.1%, which is no more dangerous than a smartphone battery.
   3.A new study by the British Ministry of Health has confirmed that short-term use of vaping is at least 95 percent less harmful than smoking cigarettes. This may help convince smokers to switch to electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) in order to free the country from tobacco smoke in the future. The promotion of such devices should be approached with caution, so as not to encourage the use of those who do not smoke at all, the study says.
   In 2021, 34 percent of smokers perceived ES as less harmful and only 11 percent knew that nicotine is not the main cause of harm to cigarettes. The chief physician of England, Janelle de Grouchy, believes that “If there is a choice between a regular and an electronic cigarette, choose an electronic one. But if the choice is between an electronic cigarette and fresh air, choose fresh air”
   Based on the above, the following conclusions are made:
3. vaping represents only a small fraction of the risks that tobacco smoking carries (there is not enough data in the long term yet), and does not give significant reasons for concern;
4. vaping supplies significantly less potentially dangerous substances to the body than tobacco smoking, as evidenced by the levels of biomarkers for the risk of cancer, respiratory and cardiovascular diseases;
5. short-term passive smoking of electronic cigarettes by non-smokers does not lead them to a significant increase in the level of biomarkers of intoxication;
6. in general, vapes contain less nicotine than tobacco products; the risk and severity of dependence when using them is less, although they vary greatly depending on the specific product.
   Thus, the researchers concluded that the transition from conventional cigarettes to nicotine-containing electronic cigarettes can significantly reduce the health risks of smokers and contribute to reducing the level of smoking.
   No matter how paradoxical it may sound, in a number of developed countries, such as the UK, USA, Japan, New Zealand, due to vaping, they plan to gradually reduce the prevalence of tobacco smoking so that by 2030 the proportion of smokers does not exceed 5% of the population.
   CONTRIBUTION OF THE VAPE INDUSTRY TO THE BRITISH ECONOMY
   In retaliation to the “denigrators” of the vape community, VAPOUROUND MAGAZINE turned to the Center for Economic and Business Research (Cebr) in order to provide a detailed breakdown of the economic contribution of the British vape industry at the regional level.
   On a national scale, Cerd found that in 2021, the gross value added (GVA) of the vaping sector for the economy amounted to 401 million pounds (233.6 billion tenge)with a turnover of 1.325 billion pounds (771.6 billion tenge)
   It accounted for 8,215 full-time equivalent jobs, and the salary of employees was 154 million pounds.
   VAPE INDUSTRY IN KAZAKHSTAN FROM AN ECONOMIC POINT OF VIEW:
   The first electronic cigarettes appeared in Kazakhstan in 2010. The market began to grow gradually and steadily, which was influenced by the lack of regulation of this industry in Kazakhstan and the neighborhood with China. Now the number of vape shops is only increasing, slowly displacing large tobacco brands.
   The e-cigarette market has a high growth potential both in the world and in Kazakhstan. According to Euromonitor, in 2015, the volume of the electronic cigarette market in Kazakhstan amounted to 5 billion tenge, excluding inflation.
   Despite the devaluation, the market continued to grow, and by 2016 its volume amounted to 5.4 billion tenge. By 2020, the volume has almost doubled – 9.5 billion tenge. Analysts believe that now the demand for tobacco products is rapidly falling, and consumers increasingly prefer electronic cigarettes. Since 2020, such a market in Kazakhstan has grown 300 times.
   The Public Foundation “Aman-Saulyk” announced the results of a sociological study among smokers and sellers of tobacco products in Almaty. More than 34% of respondents have a positive attitude to electronic cigarettes, and 32% of respondents consider the use of electronic cigarettes to be a less harmful way of using tobacco (nicotine). About 2% of respondents consider switching to using an electronic cigarette as a way to completely give up smoking in the future.
   Electronic cigarettes are still a small and young business category in Kazakhstan. However, it demonstrates steady growth, which leads to replenishment of the budget at the expense of taxes.
   Excise taxes in the amount of 53 tenge/ml of liquid are provided for ESDN devices, and since August 2023, vapes are subject to mandatory labeling, which allows full traceability to be monitored and their output to the turnover of electronic nicotine delivery systems. This measure has contributed to conscientious market participants to import certified products that meet international quality and safety standards.
   The market has just begun its journey to a legal form of existence, but already now, it is possible to predict significant contributions to the country’s budget, (from legally imported ESDS. Important!) in the approximate amount of more than 200 billion tenge per year.
   Structure of tobacco consumption in Kazakhstan

• Traditional cigarettes – 84%
• Electronic tobacco heating systems – 12 %
• Electronic consumption systems and liquids to them (vapes) – 4%.
  CONSEQUENCES OF THE VAPING BAN
  The prohibition of vapes will lead to:
• the transition of vapes into shadow circulation (smuggling)
• causing greater harm to the health of consumers from uncontrolled (counterfeit) products
• the emergence of corruption risks by analogy with hookahs and snus
• withdrawal of bona fide legal participants from the market
• complete abolition of state control
• lobbying for the business of traditional cigarettes
• an increase in the consumption of traditional cigarettes, which contradicts the world experience in reducing the harm of smoking.
  Given the close economic ties, free migration of the population, the presence of a common land border without customs control over 8 thousand km, the ban in the country will not give a positive result, whereas in the Russian Federation and the Kyrgyz Republic vaping is not prohibited, but regulated.