Uzbekistan has approved a new procedure for placing warning signs and information panels about the harms of alcohol and tobacco consumption. The rules, approved by the Minister of Health, will come into force on September 17, 2026.
By mid-September, all businesses and organizations must install the required signs. If previously placed signs do not meet the updated standards or have become illegible, they must be replaced. All signs must be in the state language, with optional additional text in other languages.
For most facilities, the minimum size of signs is A5 format (148x210 mm). In public transport, a minimum size of 50x50 mm is allowed. Signs must be placed in visible locations at a height of 1.5 to 2.5 meters from the floor or ground.
Warning signs about alcohol harm must be placed in workplaces, streets, stadiums, boulevards, parks, urban transport, and other public places. Exceptions include trade and service facilities where alcohol is sold by the glass, as well as venues for weddings, anniversaries, and other celebrations.
Requirements for tobacco warnings are much broader. Such signs must be placed at entrances to buildings and premises, except for specially designated smoking areas. The new rules cover trade and service facilities, catering establishments, cinemas, theaters, circuses, concert and exhibition halls, clubs, discos, computer rooms, museums, libraries, and other places of mass attendance.
Warning signs are also mandatory in trains, buses, subways, taxis, airplanes, and other public transport, as well as at metro stations, stops, underground passages, railway stations, airports, river ports, and gas stations. Additionally, signs must appear in workplaces, corridors, elevators, lobbies, toilets, rest rooms, and other premises of enterprises and organizations.
The new requirements apply to medical institutions, pharmacies, educational institutions, cultural and sports facilities, hotels, residential complexes, children's and sports grounds, as well as parks, gardens, and beaches. In addition, new information boards for designated tobacco consumption areas and updated health warnings for tobacco packaging with graphic images of the health consequences of smoking have been approved.
Earlier, it was reported that from June 1, 2026, entrepreneurs in the catering and hotel services sector were allowed to accept cash payments when selling alcohol and tobacco products.
Source: podrobno.uz