Shops across the UK can no longer sell any vaping or nicotine product to anyone under 18, under rules that came into force today (29 October). The change extends existing age limits to items that were not covered before, including nicotine-free vapes and nicotine pouches, strips and pearls, according to the Department of Health and Social Care.

Key points

  • Wider ban — nicotine-free vapes and products such as pouches, strips and pearls are now off limits to under-18s.
  • Buying for children — adults who buy, or try to buy, these products for someone under 18 are committing an offence.
  • Promotion curbed — giveaways, large discounts and vending-machine sales are prohibited.
  • Enforcement — Trading Standards gets new fixed penalty powers, with up to £30 million a year until 2028/29.

Selling nicotine-containing vapes to children was already illegal. The new measures also stop promotional giveaways and substantial discounts in shops and online, and ban vending machines that sell or dispense vaping or nicotine products. Stop smoking services run by councils can still supply products to help adult smokers quit.

Trading Standards will lead retail enforcement in England, backed by fixed penalty notices of £200 to act more quickly against rogue traders. Enforcement agencies are receiving up to £30 million a year until 2028/29, including up to £10 million a year for Trading Standards and funding for 120 specialist apprentices.

Ministers said more than a million children are estimated to have tried vaping, with over 370,000 vaping regularly. Dame Diana Johnson, Minister of State for Public Health and Patient Safety, said the Tobacco and Vapes Act was "the greatest piece of public health legislation in a generation". Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty said addicting children to nicotine was "completely unacceptable". The Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish health ministers also welcomed the changes.

Editor's comment

What it means in practice

For most people, daily life carries on as before. The difference lands at the till: shop staff must now check age for a wider range of products, and parents or older friends who buy vapes or pouches for a teenager can face a fine themselves.

  • If you vape — you can still buy these products if you are 18 or over, but expect more age checks and fewer in-store promotions.
  • If you are a retailer — make sure staff know the rules cover nicotine-free products too, and that giveaways, big discounts and vending machines are out.
  • If you want to quit smoking — council stop smoking services can still provide products to help adult smokers.