Syria announces a total ban on electronic cigarettes

Authorities in Damascus, Syria, have announced a complete ban on electronic cigarettes and all their components.[1]. The decision covers the production, distribution, sale, and purchase of these products in all shops and establishments nationwide, as well as their use. According to the SANA news agency, this measure aims to protect public health, particularly that of children and young people.

Health concerns and a legal vacuum justify their ban

The director of health affairs in Damascus, Radwan Al-Sawwaq, has decided to strictly enforce a 2009 directive. This directive completely bans these products from all general and specialized stores. The measure, which had previously not been enforced by the authorities, has been consistently violated by vape shop owners, and e-cigarettes have continued to proliferate.

Radwan Al-Sawwaq stated that e-cigarette use is associated with lung damage and potentially cardiovascular disease due to inhaled toxic substances. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), e-cigarettes increase blood pressure and heart rate. This can eventually lead to narrowing of blood vessels, causing heart disease and strokes. The health effects of these products tend to be increasingly . Added to this are the aromas that attract young people and the addictive nature of the products.

Al-Sawwaq mentioned this growing popularity, particularly among teenagers and schoolchildren, highlighting a possible gateway effect of these products towards tobacco products, even though they were initially intended as a smoking cessation tool.

The head of the community health promotion department cited a school health survey conducted in 2024 showing that approximately 17% of students aged 11 to 17 use electronic cigarettes.

In the absence of classification and regulation relating to vaping products or nicotine sachets, these have been put on the market even though their origin and components are unknown.

Similarly, with regard to heated tobacco, which is a tobacco product, the regulations concerning these products have not been clearly applied due to the confusion deliberately maintained by tobacco manufacturers who equate them with electronic cigarettes.[2].

With this decision to impose a widespread ban on e-cigarettes, Syria is not an exception in the region. In the Middle East, their sale and distribution are prohibited in Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, and Turkey. Internationally, at least 46 countries worldwide have currently banned the sale and distribution of e-cigarettes, according to available international data.[3].

A ban accompanied by stricter controls and sanctions

In the event of an infringement, the products will be seized and destroyed, and legal proceedings will be initiated against the establishments concerned.

Businesses in violation will be closed for three days following a first offense, and the closure period will be doubled in case of a repeat offense.

Authorities have also stepped up controls in the city, particularly in public markets, shopping centers and malls, to ensure enforcement of this ban and limit the spread of electronic cigarettes.

Traditional smoking rates still appear high and must be combated, as must industry interference.

Syria is also a country where traditional smoking is prevalent and remains largely unchecked. The latest data for 2023 indicated a prevalence of 14.71% among boys aged 10-14 years, and that 21.09% of all male deaths in Syria were attributable to smoking.[4].

The country is characterized by the existence of a state monopoly, which holds direct or indirect stakes in the tobacco industry.[5] placing industry at the heart of public decision-making. This is compounded by significant political and civil society instability, which leaves the country poorly protected against industrial interference. The trade in legal and illegal tobacco products remains substantial. In 2023, Syrian exports of cigars and cigarettes to major importers such as Lebanon, Jordan, and Qatar still amounted to millions of dollars, even while the country was embroiled in civil war.[6].

The existing provisions are often insufficient, such as the very small sizes allotted to health warnings, or they are not enforced, particularly in the area of bans on advertising, sponsorship, and promotions.

To reduce overall tobacco prevalence and enforce adopted measures, the country must therefore protect health policies from tobacco industry interference and ensure that the political and social situation is stabilized, in accordance with the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control which it signed in 2013.

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[1]محافظة دمشق تمنع السجائر الإلكترونية.. ما الأسباب؟, Enab Baladi, published on February 25, 2026, accessed on March 3, 2026

[2]Using HTP in Syria, Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction, updated March 31, 2025, accessed March 3, 2026

[3]Global Center for Good Governance in Tobacco Control, E-CIGARETTE BAN & REGULATION: Global Status as of May 2025, Published on June 4, 2025, accessed on March 3, 2026

[4]Drope J, Hamill S, Country profile: Syrian Arab Republic,The Tobacco Atlas. New York: Vital Strategies and Economics for Health, updated in 2025, accessed March 3, 2026

[5]The State and Tobacco: When the Promoter Is Also the Regulatory Authority, Tobacco-Free Generation, published on September 6, 2025, accessed on March 3, 2026

[6]Wars and conflicts are fertile ground for the tobacco industry, Tobacco-Free Generation, published on October 8, 2024, accessed on March 3, 2026

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