Bulgaria will ban disposable e-cigarettes

Bulgaria will ban disposable e-cigarettes following approval from the European Commission, citing the rise in their use among teenagers and the associated health risks. This decision initiates a three-month phase-out period and aligns with a broader European trend toward stricter regulations. Despite this step forward, the country continues to grapple with a high prevalence of traditional smoking and the persistent influence of the tobacco industry.

A strengthened legal framework at the national level

Bulgaria adopted a measure concerning tobacco and related products at the end of June 2025, which was promulgated on July 4, 2025, including a ban on the placing on the market, distribution, and sale of disposable electronic cigarettes or "puffs." However, the entry into force of this measure was conditional upon validation by the European Commission, to which the decision had been notified by the country, within the framework of the application of one of the provisions of the Tobacco Products Directive.[1].

After review, the European Commission concluded that the ban was justified, necessary, and proportionate in terms of protecting public health. As the other Member States did not raise any objections within the three-month period, which expired at the end of January this year, the decision was upheld. The Commission considers, in particular, that this measure can help prevent the emergence of a new generation addicted to nicotine. The Commission also emphasizes that existing measures—prohibitions on sales to minors, bans on online sales, and advertising restrictions—have not been sufficient to limit young people's access to these products.

With this validation, Bulgaria can now implement the law, which provides for a stock declaration mechanism, a three-month period to sell off the products and, failing that, their withdrawal from the market, with the possibility of export.

Increased use among young people and health concerns

Bulgarian authorities justified the ban by citing a significant increase in the use of disposable e-cigarettes among teenagers. According to the data cited, one in four students aged 13 to 15 in the country uses vaping products, and initiation through these products was widespread. The notifications sent to Brussels emphasize that these products, often offered at low prices, with fruity flavors and attractive packaging, are particularly accessible to minors.

Public authorities also highlighted the health risks associated with nicotine, including its effects on adolescent brain development, as well as respiratory problems and exposure to harmful and addictive substances.

Finally, disposable electronic cigarettes were singled out for their environmental impact, due to the waste they generate (plastic, batteries and chemicals).

A measure adopted by a growing number of countries

Bulgaria thus becomes the third country in the European Union, after France and Belgium, to adopt such a restrictive measure against disposable electronic cigarettes, amid growing concern about their use among minors.

Other countries, such as Germany, Austria, Ireland, Monaco, Spain, Denmark, and Poland, have also announced their intention to ban these products, while outside the EU, the United Kingdom and Switzerland have already enacted their bans. Elsewhere in the world, the United States and New Zealand, for example, have banned puffs for similar reasons.

Traditional smoking and an exacerbated lobby remain Bulgaria's main problem.

Notwithstanding these necessary measures against puffs, Bulgaria remains the European country with the highest adult smoking prevalence: in 2024, 34.9% of adults smoked, a much higher proportion than that of e-cigarette users estimated at 3% in 2023[2].

The country is paying a heavy price for smoking, with 13.75% of deaths attributable to it in 2023, a considerable proportion of which were among men.[3].

The country is therefore called upon to address this worrying problem, especially since the effectiveness of public health policies is constantly hampered and undermined by intense lobbying from the tobacco and nicotine industry. According to the Global Tobacco Industry Interference Index, Bulgaria has one of the worst scores with 72, placing it 76th^e position out of the 100 countries studied.

The tobacco industry is therefore particularly powerful in the country, not only weakening its anti-tobacco policies, but even managing through it to exert influence to slow down or even block health decisions at the European, or even international, level.

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[1]Bulgaria's Disposable Vape Ban Receives Formal Approval From the European Commission, 2Firsts, published on March 17, 2026, accessed the same day

[2]Tobacco smoking in Bulgaria, Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction, updated October 30, 2025, accessed March 17, 2026

[3]Drope J, Hamill S, Country profile: Bulgaria, The Tobacco Atlas, New York: Vital Strategies and Economics for Health, updated in 2025, accessed March 17, 2026

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