Are you a seller of tobacco products or vapes?

From 1st January 2027, people born on or after 1st January 2009 can never legally be sold tobacco.

The Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026 introduces some of the biggest changes to smoking laws in decades, aiming to protect future generations from the harms of tobacco while also tightening controls on vaping products.

Under the new law, from 1st January 2027, it will be an offence to sell tobacco products (including cigarettes), herbal smoking products and cigarette papers to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009.

The legal age of sale will effectively rise by one year every year, gradually phasing out tobacco sales to future generations.

The new law also bans the sale of all vaping and nicotine products, including nicotine pouches and non-nicotine vapes, to under 18-year-olds.

Key Dates for the Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026

• 29th October 2026. It becomes illegal to sell any vaping or nicotine product to anyone under 18. Vaping, nicotine and tobacco vending machines are banned. Free distribution of
  tobacco, herbal smoking products, cigarette papers, vaping and nicotine products is prohibited. Proxy purchasing is also banned. New enforcement powers including £200 fixed penalty notices come into effect.
• 1st January 2027. The UK's "Smoke-Free Generation" policy begins. It becomes illegal to sell tobacco products, herbal smoking products or cigarette papers to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009. The age of sale will then increase by one year every year, meaning those born on or after this date will never legally be sold tobacco.
• 1st June 2027. New restrictions on the advertising and sponsorship of vapes and nicotine products are planned to come into force.

Advice to traders selling tobacco and vapes

• If a customer looks under 25, staff should still ask for age identification.
• The new law on the sale of tobacco does not replace Challenge 25. It adds an extra check for tobacco sales. When selling tobacco products, staff will also need to check whether the customer was born on or after the 1st January 2009. Born on or after the 1st January 2009? The sale must be refused. Products affected include cigarettes, hand rolling tobacco, nasal tobacco (snuff) and shisha.
• From 1st January 2027, all retailers selling tobacco products must display a new A3 sized statutory notice that reads: “It is illegal to sell tobacco products to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009”

Further guidance

Retailers requiring further help and advice (including A3 statutory posters and Challenge 25 posters) can contact Warwickshire Trading Standards via the Citizens Advice Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133 or email: tradingstandards@warwickshire.gov.uk

• https://www.gov.uk/guidance/selling-tobacco-herbal-smoking-products-and-cigarette-papers
• https://www.gov.uk/guidance/selling-vaping-and-nicotine-products
• https://www.acs.org.uk/campaigns/decline09