Poland bans e-cigarettes for minors and online sales of nicotine products

The Polish Sejm has passed a law banning the sale of all types of e-cigarettes to people under 18.[1]The law also prohibits the online sale of e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches. This legislation, reported by RMF FM and relayed by the UNN news agency, was voted in favor by 417 out of 428 deputies. It will then be presented to the Senate, the upper house, and, if passed, to the president for his signature.

Vaping and nicotine products more regulated

According to the text, the sale of all e-cigarettes, whether disposable or rechargeable, with or without nicotine, as well as refills, will be prohibited to minors under the age of 18. This ban also applies to the sale of nicotine pouches to minors.

The law will also prohibit the sale of these products in healthcare facilities, schools and other educational institutions, sports and leisure facilities, as well as in vending machines and self-service systems.

It will also restrict the use of nicotine-free e-cigarettes in public spaces, similar to the regulations applied to traditional tobacco products and e-cigarettes containing nicotine.[2]This includes schools, preschools, restaurants, public transport stops and children's playgrounds.

Finally, the new legislation introduces a ban on distance selling, particularly via the Internet, of nicotine-free electronic cigarettes and nicotine pouches, as well as a ban on their advertising.

This new law is part of a wide-ranging reform of anti-smoking legislation in Poland.

This comprehensive ban is part of a broader amendment to Polish tobacco and e-cigarette legislation, which aims to protect young people from nicotine addiction and other health risks. The country became a party to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in 2006 and has since adopted various provisions to combat tobacco use.

Poland already had laws prohibiting the sale of cigarettes to minors, but this has now been extended to all types of e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches and other nicotine products for oral use.

In addition, the Ministry of Health is preparing a second legislative package that would go even further.[3]This bill would ban the sale of disposable e-cigarettes and flavored nicotine pouches, as well as any other similar products not covered by current law.

Deputy Health Minister Wojciech Konieczny said the proposal could face a lengthy notification procedure in Brussels, which could last a year or more.

Poland has significantly reduced its smoking prevalence in recent decades. Between 2000 and 2020, smoking prevalence among Polish adults aged 15 and over decreased from 39.6% to 24.1%.[4]. Nevertheless, the smoking rate remains high in the adult population and among young people while the consumption of new nicotine products such as electronic cigarettes is emerging with 4 % of the population reporting regular use and 13 % having already tried these products.

In border countries, efforts in this direction have also been made, such as Ukraine which recently voted to increase excise rates on tobacco products and vaping devices or the Czech Republic which is considering banning flavored vapes.

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[1]UNN, Poland has banned the sale of electronic cigarettes to minors, published May 22, 2025, accessed May 22, 2025

[2]TVP World, Poland's lower house of parliament approves ban on selling vapes to minors, published May 21, 2025, accessed May 22, 2025

[3]Polish Radio, Polish MPs back full e-cigarette sales ban for minors, published May 22, 2025, accessed May 22, 2025

[4]Index Mundi, Poland - Smoking prevalence, updated December 28, 2019, accessed May 22, 2025

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