So, there were hot discussions over the article 13 of the draft law, which related to liability of persons, realizing alcohol and tobacco products. The article provides right to sellers to request document from buyers to confirm their age. The document said that the sellers are obliged to ask document to confirm age of buyers, who look under the age of 20, and if they have no documents, they should not sell product.

According to position of Adolat Social Democratic Party of Uzbekistan, such formulation is acceptable. But there are people, who look older for their age of 18-19. In this case, the sellers will not have responsibility as they believe that the buyer was higher than 20. So, the law should ban fully bank sales of such products to people under the age of 20. Such formulation can be interpreted as “people should solve this in place”. Later, there will be question, why the law is not working.

Naturally, it can be interpreted as “let’s punish sellers for selling alcohol and tobacco products to youth under the age of 20”. But in all democratic countries, this norm works as bank for consumption of alcohol and tobacco products persons under age of 20. In case of violation, both sides will be punished.

Position of Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (UzLiDeP) based on that it is necessary the law should be adhered by anyone and really protection youth from negative impact of alcohol and tobacco. The draft law should include clauses on punishment of violators. The party members stressed that people, who violated law, should be attracted to public works. They believe that this form of punishment is the most effective and fruitful. In the result, the people will try to avoid alcohol abuse.

The MPs made disputes over article 16, which is related to seizing and liquidating alcohol and tobacco products. UzLiDeP and People’s Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (NDPU) had various views. According to the article, all alcohol and tobacco products, produced and realized with violation of legislation on limiting distribution and consumption of alcohol and tobacco products, should be seized and liquidated in line with the legislation.

UzLiDeP members underlined that it is necessary to eliminate forged products and products with expired term. But there are also products, which produced legally and had quality certificate, but seized at trade points located within a radius of 500 meters from educational, sport and religious establishments and places, which does not sanitary norms and rules of storage and realization of alcohol and tobacco products, as well as at other banned places. What should be done with such products? Eliminate?

UzLiDeP proposes not to destroy these products, but hand over to specialized trade points and direct revenue to mahalla committees. In its turn, the citizens’ self-governing bodies should use these resources to promote harm of alcohol and tobacco products, hold events directed at preventing distribution and consumption of these goods among population, including people under the age of 20.

NDPU fraction offers not to use market approach and finance such events due to resources of the state budget. They also note that the government has enough power and resources for that. UzLiDeP underlines that seized consumer products, which does not harm health of population, are not destroyed and directed to realization. Revenue from sales of these goods is directed to the state budget. This method can be used for seized alcohol and tobacco products.

MPs also widely discussed Article 19 of the draft law, which is directed at forbidding propaganda of consumption of alcohol and tobacco products or actions directed at spreading information in open or hidden form, which encourage people to consume alcohol and tobacco products. UzLiDeP believes that inexistence of clear legal formulations and mechanisms of execution will create ground for various negative distortions.

It is necessary to ban literature images, shooting films and clips, where are figures related with alcohol and tobacco products consumption. NDPU members agree with this, but UzLiDeP believes that it violates international norms on speech freedom.

The MPs said that it is necessary to carry out explanation works along with introduction of limiting measures, as well as preventing production and distribution of forged goods.