Electronic cigarettes are banned, but heated tobacco products are not

In Azerbaijan, the import, sale, and use of electronic cigarettes have been banned. The relevant law has already been adopted and will enter into force starting from April 1, 2026.

This law does not apply to heated tobacco products such as IQOS, because they are not considered electronic cigarettes. Heated tobacco products operate based on a different technology and are fundamentally distinct from traditional electronic cigarettes.

Electronic cigarettes (vape devices) are devices that heat a special liquid and turn it into vapor. This liquid may contain nicotine (or may be nicotine-free), propylene glycol, glycerin, and various flavoring substances.

When the device operates, the liquid is heated and the user inhales the resulting vapor. Electronic cigarettes do not use tobacco, and these devices work only with chemically composed liquids.

Heated tobacco products, however, function on a different principle and use “heat-not-burn” technology. These products do not use liquid; unlike vape devices, the vapor does not come from liquid. Instead, they use special tobacco sticks (for example, TEREA) that contain real tobacco.

The device for heated tobacco warms the tobacco to approximately 250–350 degrees Celsius but does not burn it. As a result, an aerosol—not smoke—is produced, no ash is formed, and no combustion takes place.

According to experts, this technology also reduces the levels of certain harmful substances typically produced by conventional cigarettes.

Here are the main differences between electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products:
Electronic cigarettes create vapor by heating a liquid that may contain nicotine or be nicotine-free, while heated tobacco products heat real tobacco.

Electronic cigarettes do not contain tobacco, whereas heated tobacco products use specially prepared tobacco sticks.

Electronic cigarettes rely on the vaporization of liquid, while heated tobacco products heat tobacco without burning it.

Thus, although electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products are often grouped into the same category, they are technologically completely different. Electronic cigarettes are devices that convert nicotine or non-nicotine liquid into vapor, while heated tobacco products are considered an alternative tobacco product that heats real tobacco without burning it.

For this reason, in many countries, including Azerbaijan, electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco systems are regulated as separate product categories in legislation.