Progress on the Iraqi Tobacco Harm Protection Act is currently stalled, raising concerns as the current parliamentary term nears its end on 8th January 2026, and parliamentary work is halted until the 11th November elections, leaving roughly seven weeks of its term.
The bill, which would replace law 19/2012, received its first reading in the parliament on 9th September 2023 and a second reading on 24th February 2024. While the scope of law 19/2012 was limited to traditional tobacco products (such as cigarettes), the new bill expands that to include electronic nicotine products, defining them as devices using nicotine or any tobacco contents mechanically, which would include e-cigarettes and heated tobacco devices.
