Azerbaijani market going dark

The Azerbaijani Parliament has decided to impose a comprehensive ban on tobacco- and vapor-products advertising, promotions and sponsorships, according to a story in the Famagusta Gazette (Cyprus).

All advertising and promotions of tobacco, tobacco products and their accessories, including tobacco pipes, hookahs, electronic cigarettes, cigarette paper and cigarette lighters will be banned under amendments to the country’s tobacco and tobacco products bill.

In addition, the new legislation will prevent tobacco companies and ‘sellers’ from sponsoring ‘various events’.

The head of the Agrarian Policy Committee of the Azerbaijani parliament, Eldar Ibrahimov, said the new amendments were aimed at ensuring people followed healthy lifestyles and at the prevention of the harmful effects of tobacco.

But Ibrahimov said that a ban on tobacco advertising and tobacco products would not impede development of the tobacco growing industry in Azerbaijan.

“These legislative amendments should not be expounded as a sanction against the development of the tobacco growing sector,” he stressed.

Tobacco production in Azerbaijan is concentrated in the Sheki-Zagatala economic region.

Tobacco products in Azerbaijan are said to be provided ‘by a small number of international companies’.

Imported products account for about 88 percent of the Azerbaijan cigarette market, while local manufacturers, which produce about 1.8 billion a year,  account for the rest.