On 15 January the sale of cigarettes was resumed in Ashgabat’s state-run stores. A restriction of one pack per person, which cost 30 manats, applies.
The quantity of cigarettes supplied to retail outlets is limited and stores run out of a daily stock half an hour or an hour after the shop has been opened.
This has caused turmoil among residents. Queues are formed in front of the stores as early as 4 a.m. despite the fact the shops open only at 7 a.m. This leads to heated arguments and even fights.
Police squadrons keep vigil in front of the stores to maintain order. For instance, in the morning of 17 January, 2019 12 police officers were spotted by correspondents of “Chronicles of Turkmenistan” in front of “Garagum” store.
Even non-smoking people stand in queues to resell cigarettes to privately-owned stores at 33 manats per pack.
“Two-button” Kent cigarettesDespite the ban, privately-owned vendors are selling cigarettes per piece. One “Kent” cigarette costs 2,5 manats and 4 manats are charged for more expensive brands, such as Russian-made Senator (popularly referred to as “two-button”).
According to Radio “Azatlyk”, which also reported about the resuming of tobacco sale, privately-owned retail outlets sell the same cigarette packs as in the state-run stores but a price of 50-60 manats per pack.