New rules on nicotine and vaping products come into force today
New legal requirements restricting sales and giveaways of all nicotine and vaping products take effect across the UK today, including a new minimum age of 18 for all sales.
The new rules introduced through the Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026, now make it an offence to sell any vaping product or nicotine product, including nicotine pouches and zero nicotine vapes, to anyone under 18. It will also be an offence for anyone aged 18 or over to buy, or attempt to buy, these products on behalf of a person under the age of 18.
ASH says the new laws are particularly significant for curbing the use of nicotine pouches in young people, not previously subject to age of sale restrictions, meaning they could be legally sold to children. ASH research shows that 3.2% of 11–17-year-olds in GB say they’ve tried nicotine pouches, which amounts to approximately 180,000 children. Awareness of nicotine pouches has also increased significantly among children 11-17, rising from 38% in 2024 to 48% in 2026.
While nicotine pouch use is still relatively low in Great Britain, they are becoming increasingly common among younger adults. Current use among 18–34-year-olds has more than doubled from 1.2% in 2023 to 3.0% in 2026, compared with 0.3% of adults aged over 55.
Also, from today:
- It is an offence to sell or dispense vaping products, nicotine products, tobacco products, herbal smoking products or cigarette papers via customer facing vending machines. There will be exemption for inpatient mental health settings, recognising the important role that vaping can play in helping smokers to quit.
- Free distribution, samples, coupons and substantial discounts of any vaping, nicotine, tobacco or related products are also prohibited when used to promote those products.
- Enforcement authorities can issue fixed penalty notices for a range of offences relating to tobacco, vaping and nicotine products.
Hazel Cheeseman, Chief Executive of Action on Smoking and Health, said:
“Nicotine products have been promoted indiscriminately in recent years through giveaways at festivals, shopping centres and railway stations. With no age of sale for nicotine pouches or limits on free handouts children have been exposed to potentially harmful marketing. Today’s regulation brings the law up to date and will protect children.
“However, striking a balance is important with regulations, these nicotine products are less harmful than smoking and may have a role in helping people to quit. It is welcome to see carve outs for stop smoking services to continue to provide free nicotine alternatives for those who need them.”
Dr Ian Walker, Cancer Research UK’s executive director of policy and information, said:
“These new measures are a welcome step to strengthening regulation and restricting the promotion of nicotine products to young people. Although evidence so far shows that legal vapes are far less harmful than tobacco and can help people stop smoking, we don't know their long-term health effects, so they shouldn’t be used by young people and adults who have never smoked.
“Governments in every UK nation must ensure that the world-leading Tobacco and Vapes Act is fully implemented and properly enforced alongside increasing support for people trying to quit smoking. With landmark measures to raise the age of sale for tobacco products starting in January, we’re firmly on the path to ending cancers caused by smoking in the UK and protecting young people from the devastating harms of tobacco.”
ENDS.
Contact: press@ash.org.uk
Notes to Editors
- ASH adult surveys conducted by YouGov. Total annual sample size is around 12,500 adults, including around 3,000 aged 18-34 and around 5,000 aged 55+. The survey is carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+).
- ASH youth surveys conducted by YouGov. Total annual sample size was is around 2,500 11-17 year olds. The survey is carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB youth aged 11-17.