On liability for smoking tobacco products in prohibited places

Article 17.9 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the Republic of Belarus provides for liability in the form of a fine of up to 4 base amounts (102 rubles) for smoking (consumption) of tobacco products in prohibited places.

Amendments to the Decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus of December 17, 2002 No. 28 "On State Regulation of Production, Turnover and Consumption of Tobacco Raw Materials and Tobacco Products", introduced by the Decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus of January 24, 2019 No. 2, entered into force on July 27, 2019.

In order to create conditions for protecting the health of citizens, the aforementioned Decree significantly expanded the list of places where smoking is prohibited.

Thus, smoking is currently prohibited in elevators and auxiliary premises of apartment buildings, dormitories; on playgrounds; at workplaces organized in premises; on territories and in premises occupied by sports and recreation and other camps; in premises and on territories occupied by educational institutions, organizations implementing postgraduate education programs; in underground passages, at metro stations; at bus stops on routes of passenger road transport and passenger transport by urban electric transport, at boarding areas used for passenger boarding and disembarking; in public transport; in cars if children under 14 years of age are present.

Smoking is prohibited, except in specially designated areas: in retail facilities and consumer service facilities, shopping centers and markets; in public catering establishments, on the territory of outdoor seating areas; within the boundaries of territories occupied by beaches; on territories and in premises occupied by physical culture and sports organizations, sports and fitness facilities; in production buildings (premises); in premises and on territories occupied by government bodies, cultural and healthcare organizations, sanatorium-resort and health improvement organizations, telecommunications service providers,

social, banking, insurance, hotel, and other services, as well as by organizations, individual entrepreneurs who, in accordance with the legislation of the Republic of Belarus, are granted the right to carry out educational activities; in premises intended for receiving citizens, including on issues of administrative procedures; in premises of road transport passenger terminals, ports, and airports; in premises and on the territories of railway stations intended for serving passengers of general-use railway transport; on sea vessels, vessels of mixed (river - sea) navigation.

It should be borne in mind that smoking in the Decree means not only smoking (consumption) of tobacco products, but also the use of electronic smoking systems, systems for tobacco consumption.

Senior Prosecutor of the Department for Supervision
over the Enforcement of Legislation and
Legality of Legal Acts
Irina Kryukovskaya.