New UK regulations effective Thursday, October 29, 2026, make it illegal to sell vaping or nicotine products to anyone under 18, with fixed penalty notices of £200 in England, Wales and Scotland.
The rules apply across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, though penalties may vary between the nations. It is also now an offence for anyone aged 18 or over to purchase, or attempt to purchase, vaping or nicotine products on behalf of someone under 18, according to the UK Government.
Products Covered by the New Regulations
Beyond raising the minimum age for purchasing vaping and nicotine products to 18, it is now unlawful to distribute a vaping or nicotine product free of charge where the intention or consequence is to promote the product. Selling such products at a significant discount for promotional purposes is also forbidden, as is distributing or selling at a significant discount a voucher for these products where the intention or consequence is to promote the product.
For vaping products, the regulations cover vape devices such as vape pens, substances to be vaped such as e-liquid, and related components including coils and vape pods. For nicotine products, they include nicotine pouches, nicotine strips and nicotine pearls.
Retailer Obligations and Penalties
The Government stated: "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 asked to prove they are above the age of sale.
Anyone found guilty of selling vaping or nicotine products to an underage individual faces a £200 FPN 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. Should a case proceed to court, fines could reach £2,500 in England, Wales and Scotland, and up to £5,000 in Northern Ireland. The same consequences apply to those caught purchasing these products on behalf of an underage person.
Impact on Stop Smoking Services
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 done in accordance with arrangements made by a public authority. This includes local authority-funded smoking cessation schemes or NHS organisations that commission or deliver stop smoking services, where vapes are supplied free of charge as a cessation aid.
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.
