New UK vaping law begins today with major changes and £200 fines

New UK vaping law begins today with major changes and £200 fines From October 29, 2026, there are new restrictions on who can buy vapes, among other things Significant law changes take effect across the UK on Thursday, October 29, in regards to the sale of vaping and nicotine products. From today, selling vaping or nicotine products to anyone under the age of 18 is against the law. Additionally, it is now also an offence for anyone aged 18 or over to purchase, or attempt to purchase, vaping or nicotine products on behalf of someone under the age of 18, according to the UK Government. The new regulations apply throughout England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, though penalties may vary between the nations. Products covered by new vaping regulations from October 29 Beyond the primary change of raising the minimum age for purchasing vaping and nicotine products to 18, from today it is also unlawful to distribute a vaping or nicotine product free of charge where the intention or consequence is to promote the product. It is forbidden to sell a vaping or nicotine product at a significant discount where the intention or consequence is to promote the product and it is illegal to distribute a voucher or sell a voucher at a significant discount for a vaping or nicotine product where the intention or consequence is to promote the product. The Government stated that, for vaping products, this includes but is not limited to: - vape devices, such as vape pens - substances to be vaped, such as e-liquid - any related components such as coils and vape pods For nicotine products, this includes but is not limited to: - nicotine pouches (tobacco-free pouches containing nicotine powder that are placed between the gum and lip) - nicotine strips (dissolvable films containing nicotine that are placed on the tongue or between the gum and lip) - nicotine pearls (small dissolvable balls containing nicotine that dissolve under the tongue) The Government said: "In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, this replaces the previous restriction which was only applied to nicotine vaping products. In Scotland, both nicotine and non-nicotine vapes were already subject to age restrictions, but these will now also cover nicotine products from October 29, 2026. "Before making a sale, retailers must be satisfied that the customer is aged 18 or over. Selling to someone under the age of sale is a criminal offence and may result in formal action, including the issuing of a fixed penalty notice (FPN) or prosecution. Customers attempting to buy vaping and nicotine products should expect to show ID if they are asked to prove they are above the age of sale." Fines for breaking new UK vaping law Anyone found guilty of selling vaping or nicotine products to an underage individual faces a fixed penalty notice of £200 in England, Wales and Scotland. In Northern Ireland, pending approval by the Northern Ireland Assembly, offenders can be handed a £250 FPN for the same offence, according to the UK Government. It further noted that, should a case proceed to court, fines could soar to as much as £2,500 in England, Wales and Scotland. In Northern Ireland, penalties can reach up to £5,000. The same consequences apply to those caught purchasing these products on behalf of someone who is underage. Are stop smoking services affected by new vape rules? The UK Government has made clear that the new regulations do not prohibit stop smoking services from supplying vaping products, nicotine products or vouchers for these items "if it is done in accordance with arrangements made by a public authority". It provided an example of a local authority funding a smoking cessation scheme, or an NHS organisation that commissions or delivers stop smoking services, where vapes are supplied free of charge as a cessation aid. It added: "A stop smoking service can continue to offer coupons in exchange for vapes provided by a local vape store or online, so long as an agreement with a public authority is in place."