Are snus and nicotine pouches legal in Kazakhstan?
Kazakhstan bans both tobacco snus and tobacco-free nicotine pouches. Article 110(9) of the 2020 Code on Public Health prohibits the import, production, storage, mailing, transport for sale, sale and distribution of 'non-smoking tobacco (nicotine-containing) products', which the Code defines to include products for sucking, chewing or sniffing made from tobacco or its synthetic analogues; vapes were added to the same ban in 2024. Tobacco products may only be sold to people aged 21 or over. Travellers should not bring snus or pouches into Kazakhstan, since import is itself prohibited.
Central Asia
Kazakhstan at a glance
| Nicotine pouches (tobacco-free) | Tobacco snus | |
|---|---|---|
| Sale to adults | Banned | Banned |
| Possession and use | Unclear | Unclear |
| Personal import (mail order, bringing in) | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| Online sale inside the country | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| Regulated | as a tobacco product | as a tobacco product |
| Minimum age | 21 | 21 |
| Nicotine strength cap | No legal cap found | No legal cap found |
| Flavours | Flavour ban | Flavour ban |
| Excise tax | Unclear | Unclear |
| Legal basis | Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan on Public Health and the Healthcare System No. 360-VI of 7 July 2020, Art. 1(289) and Art. 110(9) | Code on Public Health and the Healthcare System No. 360-VI of 7 July 2020, Art. 110(9) |
| In force since | 1 January 2020 | 1 January 2020 |
High confidence: Checked against legislation or an official government source. Research tier 1. How we verify.
Nicotine pouches in Kazakhstan
Banned (import and sale).
Art. 1(289) defines non-smoking tobacco (nicotine-containing) products as products containing nicotine made wholly or partly from tobacco leaf or other parts of the tobacco plant 'and their synthetic analogues', prepared for sucking, chewing or sniffing, so tobacco-free pouches are covered. Art. 110(9) bans their import, production, storage, mailing, transport for sale, distribution and sale. The Code does not contain an explicit offence for private possession or use; the ban targets supply. Art. 110 was amended by laws of 2 January 2021, 29 December 2021, 19 April 2024 (vape ban) and 16 July 2025. Penalties for illegal sale are in the Administrative Code and, for vapes, the Criminal Code; the exact article for oral products was not verified.
Tax: Not relevant because the product is banned.
Sources: Adilet legal information system, Ministry of Justice of Kazakhstan, Adilet legal information system, Ministry of Justice of Kazakhstan
Tobacco snus in Kazakhstan
Banned (import and sale).
Snus and nasvay fall squarely under 'non-smoking tobacco products'. Import, production, storage and transport for sale, sale and distribution are prohibited. Sale of any tobacco product to persons under 21 and by persons under 18 is prohibited (Art. 110(2)). A nasvay/snus sale ban predates the 2020 Code but the 2020 Code is the current basis.
Tax: Not relevant because the product is banned.
Sources: Adilet legal information system, Ministry of Justice of Kazakhstan, Adilet legal information system, Ministry of Justice of Kazakhstan
Bringing snus or nicotine pouches into Kazakhstan
| For personal use | Not allowed None for snus or nicotine pouches: their import is prohibited by Art. 110(9) of the Health Code. The general EAEU duty-free norm for other tobacco products is 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars, 200 heated-tobacco sticks or 250 g of tobacco per person; for entry into Kazakhstan the traveller must be 21 or over. |
| Declaration | Unclear |
| Penalties | Not verified. Expect confiscation at the border; administrative fines apply to sale and distribution. |
The EAEU personal-use decision sets duty-free quantities but does not override national prohibitions. Do not carry snus or pouches into Kazakhstan.
Full travel guide: can you bring snus and nicotine pouches to Kazakhstan?
Buying snus and pouches in Kazakhstan
- Nicotine pouches sold in shops: No
- Tobacco snus sold in shops: No
Frequently asked questions
Is snus legal in Kazakhstan?
No. Import, sale and distribution of non-smoking tobacco products, which include snus and nasvay, are banned under Article 110(9) of the Code on Public Health (2020).
Are nicotine pouches legal in Kazakhstan?
No. The Code defines non-smoking tobacco products to include synthetic-nicotine analogues for sucking, chewing or sniffing, so tobacco-free pouches are covered by the same import and sale ban.
Can I bring nicotine pouches or snus into Kazakhstan?
No. Import of non-smoking tobacco products is prohibited by law, regardless of the general EAEU allowance of 250 g of tobacco for travellers aged 21 or over.
What is the age limit for tobacco in Kazakhstan?
21. Tobacco products may not be sold to anyone under 21, and not by anyone under 18 (Health Code Art. 110(2)).
Are vapes legal in Kazakhstan?
No. Since 2024, electronic consumption systems (vapes), their flavourings and liquids are covered by the same import and sale ban as non-smoking tobacco products.
Nearby in the atlas
- Afghanistan – pouches unregulated (sold openly), snus legal
- Armenia – pouches legal, snus no specific rule found
- Azerbaijan – pouches unregulated (sold openly), snus no specific rule found
- Bahrain – pouches banned, snus banned
- Bangladesh – pouches no specific rule found, snus legal
- Bhutan – pouches no specific rule found, snus legal with restrictions
- Brunei – pouches no specific rule found, snus banned
- Cambodia – pouches no specific rule found, snus legal
- China – pouches legal with restrictions, snus legal with restrictions
- Georgia – pouches legal, snus legal
Where are nicotine pouches legal?Where is snus legal?Strength limits by countryAge limits by country
Sources
- Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan on Public Health and the Healthcare System (No. 360-VI of 7 July 2020), Art. 110 – Adilet legal information system, Ministry of Justice of Kazakhstan (Legislation, 7 July 2020; accessed 4 September 2026) ✓ verified
“9. Запрещаются ввоз, производство, хранение, пересылка, перевозка с целью продажи, распространения, продажа и распространение некурительных табачных изделий, электронных систем потребления (вейпов), ароматизаторов и жидкостей для них.”
- Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan on Public Health and the Healthcare System, Art. 1(289): definition of non-smoking tobacco (nicotine-containing) products – Adilet legal information system, Ministry of Justice of Kazakhstan (Legislation, 7 July 2020; accessed 4 September 2026) ✓ verified
“289) некурительные табачные (никотин-содержащие) изделия – продукты, содержащие никотин, полностью или частично изготовленные из табачного листа и (или) других частей табачного растения в качестве сырья и их синтетических аналогов, приготовленных таким образом, чтобы использовать для сосания, жевания, нюханья;”
- EEC Council Decision No. 107 of 20 December 2017 on goods for personal use (Annex 1, tobacco norms and age notes) – Eurasian Economic Commission (text via Alta-Soft) (Customs, 20 December 2017; accessed 4 September 2026) ✓ verified
“200 сигарет, или 50 сигар (сигарилл), или 200 изделий с нагреваемым табаком ("стиков"), или 250 г табака, или изделия в ассортименте общим весом не более 250 г”
- GSTHR country profile: Kazakhstan – Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction (NGO / research; accessed 4 September 2026) ✓ verified
“Kazakhstan has strict regulations against vaping and e-cigarettes, banning their importation, sale, and use.”
Record last verified 4 September 2026. Found an error or a newer rule? Tell us and we will re-check the source.