With the Tobacco and Vapes Bill firmly on the horizon, now is a great time to get to grips with what it might mean for you. The UK Government is introducing a new set of regulations as part of its plan to create a smokefree generation and reduce youth vaping.
The bill was initially introduced by the previous Tory government but was abandoned when the call was made for a general election. The Labour Government have now reintroduced their own version and plan to introduce measures such as a generational smoking ban and new regulations on vaping and other novel nicotine sources, like nicotine pouches and strips.
The bill moved to the House of Lords in March 2025 and aims to balance the need to protect young people while still ensuring adult smokers have access to effective alternatives to smoking. The introduction of the bill may also have an effect on the way that vapes are packaged, displayed and sold in the future.
Be sure that you’re up to date and prepared for the changes with our handy guide to the Tobacco and Vapes Bill.
Key proposals of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill
Following the Government’s consultation ‘Creating a smokefree generation and tackling youth vaping’ in October 2023, the Tory Government announced its plans for a new bill. This has since been picked up and adapted by the Labour Government and is currently progressing through the Houses. Learn more about the key proposals:
Generational tobacco ban
The generational smoking ban will attempt to stop youth smoking by introducing a new law that will stop children who turn 15 this year from ever legally being sold cigarettes or other tobacco products.
In 2027, the age of sale will be raised by one year every year, so that future generations will never be able to legally buy cigarettes. This new law will be supported by a variety of other measures around the display and sale of tobacco products and vapes.
If the Bill passes, which is extremely likely, the generational tobacco ban will be the first of its kind in the world, and will likely be viewed as a blueprint should other countries decide to follow suit in future.
Flavour restrictions
As part of the Government’s plans to tackle youth nicotine use, restrictions on vape flavours have also been proposed. The bill is only seeking the powers to regulate vaping, and so these proposed regulations will not come into effect if the bill passes, but will need to be put through parliament in their own right.
The aim is to limit the production of flavours that appeal to children, namely those that are particularly sweet. This could affect fruity flavours as well as those designed to taste like beverages and desserts. You can find out more in our article on vape flavour bans in the UK.
Restrictions on packaging
Bright and colourful packaging has also been cited as appealing for children and restrictions are set to be introduced to reduce this appeal. The bill is seeking the powers to regulate the display of vapes and packaging to ensure that things like the use of bright colours and cartoons are restricted. Find a lot more detail in our guide to vapes and standardised packaging.
Restrictions on in-store displays
While there is regulation on the display of tobacco products in-store, there have not been specific restrictions on the way that vaping products can be displayed. The Tobacco and Vapes Bill plans to address this, stating that bright and alluring displays in stores could appeal to children and that the display of vapes next to sweets and other confectionary products could influence the way they are perceived. Get further insight in our guide to the restriction of vape displays.
Better enforcement
To ensure that these various measures have the intended effect, the bill will also give illicit vape enforcement squads greater power to deter irresponsible retailers. This means that they will be in a better position to crack down on stores that are selling illicit vapes or who are failing to follow the laws and regulations around the sale and display of vapes. Get more information in our article on tackling the illicit vape market.
A vape licensing scheme
One way that the new regulations could be better enforced is through a vape licensing scheme, similar to an alcohol license. This would allow physical and online retailers to pay a fee and agree to adhere to strong age verification practices and commit that products they sell meet the necessary standards and regulations.
This is something that many within the vaping industry have been pushing for, ourselves included, and the Labour Government are considering implementing. We go into more detail in our article on vape licensing in the UK.
Nicotine-free vapes and other nicotine options
Some of the new regulations that come in around the sale and display of vapes may affect nicotine-free devices and e-liquids, even though they don’t pose concerns around risk or addiction. Check out our article on nicotine-free vape bans for more information.
It also looks likely that the sale of nicotine products such as pouches will fall under new regulations following the Tobacco and Vapes Bill. This could include the introduction of age restrictions and/or changes to packaging to show the nicotine strength and nicotine warnings. We’ve got more guidance in our article on nicotine pouch regulation.
This year will also see the introduction of the disposable vape ban, which has been introduced under the environmental protection act and is not part of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill. However, it will also have an impact on the sales of vapes and the kind of devices you see available in stores. You’ll find much more detail in our guide to the disposables vape ban.
When could the Tobacco and Vapes Bill take effect?
The Tobacco and Vapes Bill was announced in November 2023 and in 2024, former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced government plans to introduce a variety of measures to tackle youth vaping. The bill was introduced to Parliament in March 2024 but the announcement of a general election and change in Government meant the future of the bill was uncertain.
A new version of the bill was introduced to Parliament by the Labour Government in November 2024 and it returned to the House of Commons in January 2025 and moved to the House of Lords in March 2025.
It’s planned that the Smokefree Generation policy will come into force in 2027, when current 15-year-olds turn 18. If the bill passes. Currently, this is the only new law that will come into force. The bill is only seeking the powers to regulate on vaping and other nicotine sources, and any new laws or regulations relating to this will need to be approved in their own right. It’s also worth bearing in mind that this bill is not connected to the disposables vape ban, which will be introduced on 1st June 2025.
What the Tobacco and Vapes Bill means for vapers
The proposed changes could have big effects on the average consumer. For a start, children who are currently 15 will never be of a legal age to buy cigarettes. When it comes to vaping, the bill is only seeking powers of regulation. This means that even if the bill passes, there won’t necessarily be a huge change for vapers. That said, should the power to regulate be acted on, the real question will be around how strict the regulations end up being.
If that were to be the case, vapers would be likely to see changes to their shopping experience, with the potential of new regulations around packaging designs and in-store displays for vaping devices and kits. For example, some products may not be visible in the store or packaging may be redesigned to make it less appealing to young people.
However, the biggest potential change would be around flavour restrictions, which could see e-liquid flavours being restricted to only options like tobacco, mint and menthol.
However, before these regulations can come into effect there will be additional consultations and plenty of opportunity for us to lobby to ensure that the regulations balance the need to protect young people, with the need to ensure that adult smokers and vapers have access to effective products which will help them remain smokefree.
What it means for vape retailers like Evapo
Some of the Tobacco and Vape Bill’s proposed changes would have an effect on retailers like Evapo. For example, we could see changes to product ranges and packaging as well as new regulations around displays. The importance of age verification will remain of utmost importance and could also see some changes in regard to tobacco products such as nicotine pouches.
At Evapo, we already take age verification practices extremely seriously and have strict procedures in place both in our stores and online. We support the Government in their aim to protect young people and have been lobbying for a vape licensing scheme, which we hope will come to pass.
We expect vape stores to have new challenges when it comes to ensuring that displays are compliant with any upcoming regulations. The bill would allow local enforcement agencies to issue a £100 on the spot fine if they discover the underage sale, or proxy purchase, of tobacco and vaping products.
Currently, retailers caught selling to minors can be hit with fines of up to £2,500, but these fines are not on the spot and must go through trading Standards first. The new regulations could offer a stronger and speedier deterrent, which is something we welcome.
We will continue to use our voice within the industry to ensure that adult smokers and vapers remain able to access the products they need to successfully remain smokefree, by reiterating the importance of things like flavours as part of making vaping an effective stop smoking aid.
Evapo response to Tobacco and Vapes Bill
At Evapo, we have always been committed to legal compliance and responsible retailing. Our mission is to support adult smokers looking for alternatives and we aim to do this in the most sensible, ethical and responsible way. For a fuller understanding of our position, be sure to have a look at the Evapo response to proposed vaping restrictions.
Tobacco and Vapes Bill FAQs
What does generational tobacco ban mean?
The generational tobacco ban is a legislation that the UK Government is looking to pass which will make it illegal for people currently aged 15 or younger to buy tobacco products. It is currently set to come into effect in 2027 and is designed to help the Government achieve its aims of creating a smokefree generation. It will effectively raise the legal age to purchase tobacco by one year every year until eventually no one is able to legally purchase it. Find out more about the history of the bill and the Government’s intentions in our in-depth article on flavour bans and vape regulations.
Will nicotine pouches be banned?
Nicotine pouches won’t be banned by the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, but new regulations could change the way that they are packaged and sold. These changes could include the introduction of age regulations (currently, it’s technically not illegal to sell nicotine pouches to under 18s, although at Evapo we always follow an over 18 policy) and the introduction of things like nicotine strength on packaging. Get more details in our article on nicotine pouch regulation.
How is the Tobacco and Vapes Bill different from the disposable vapes ban?
While the disposable vape ban has also been talked about as a means of reducing the appeal of vaping to children, it has been introduced under the environmental protection act. The aim being to reduce the amount of waste and lessen the environmental impact of vaping. The Tobacco and Vapes Bill, on the other hand, is part of the Government’s aims of creating a smokefree generation and could not be brought in under existing legislation, so has to make its way through parliament in a much longer process. The disposable vape ban will come into play in June 2025, find out more in our guide to the ban of single use vapes.
Will I need ID to buy vapes under the new bill?
Yes, it’s very likely that you will need ID to buy vapes under the new bill, especially if you look like you could be under 25. Responsible retailers will continue to want to take steps to show that they are checking for proof of age before selling vapes. The new regulations will also require retailers to offer an age verification process online.
Will I still be able to buy e-liquids online?
Yes, you will still be able to buy e-liquids online after the Tobacco and Vapes Bill. You may notice that some retailers have new age verification processes on their websites.
The Tobacco and Vapes Bill will usher in a variety of changes, most notably the introduction of the generational sale ban. Vapers are also likely to feel the effect of future regulations, which may take the form of flavour restrictions and changes to packaging and displays. As always, we’re here to offer information and support and if you have any questions, be sure to pop along to your local Evapo store.
