#2026/18Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026
AI-generated summary for informational purposes only. Not legal advice. See the original source for the authoritative text.
The law creates a phased ban on tobacco sales in the UK by making it illegal to sell tobacco products, herbal smoking products, or cigarette papers to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009. It also keeps vaping and nicotine products restricted to adults, bans vending machines for tobacco and most vaping or nicotine products, bans unpackaged cigarette sales, and strengthens restrictions on displays, promotions, discounts, and free giveaways. Retailers in England and Wales will need to prepare for new licensing rules, age-verification duties, point-of-sale notices, and tougher enforcement. Repeat offenders can face sales bans tied to premises or individuals, financial penalties, forfeiture of products, fixed penalties, fines, and in serious cases imprisonment.
AI-generated summary. May contain errors. Refer to official sources for legal decisions.
Key Changes
- Bans sales of tobacco products, herbal smoking products, and cigarette papers to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009.
- Introduces retail licensing for tobacco, vaping, and nicotine product sales in England and Wales.
- Strengthens enforcement through fixed penalties, product forfeiture, sales restriction orders, and penalties for repeat offenders.
Obligations
What this law requires
Do not sell tobacco products, herbal smoking products, or cigarette papers to any person born on or after 1 January 2009.
Do not make a tobacco vending machine available for use on premises under your management or control.
Do not sell cigarettes unless they are in their original retail packaging as supplied to the tobacco retailer for sale.
Display the required age-of-sale notice prominently and readily visibly at each point of sale of tobacco products; in England the notice must state: “It is illegal to sell tobacco products to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009.”
Display the required bilingual age-of-sale notice prominently and readily visibly at each point of sale of tobacco products in Wales, including both the English and Welsh statutory statements that tobacco products may not be sold to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009.