The Austrian plan to ban puffs and regulate nicotine products is being criticized by health NGOs.

The announced amendment to the tobacco law is to be examined in Austria[1], The bill's central measure includes a ban on disposable e-cigarettes, with or without nicotine. It also includes stricter regulations for nicotine pouches, e-liquids, and later for hemp and CBD products, as well as a ban on littering cigarette butts in playgrounds. According to the government's timeline, the new provisions are expected to come into effect in July 2026, except for the ban on disposable e-cigarettes, which is scheduled for the end of 2026. A six-week consultation period is planned. NGOs have criticized the bill, deeming it too favorable to the tobacco industry and not ambitious enough.

A ban on disposable electronic cigarettes for health and environmental reasons

The project goes beyond the initial government program, as highlighted by the State Secretary for Health, Ulrike Königsberger-Ludwig.

One of the main reasons given is the increasing use of disposable e-cigarettes among young people. According to the ESPAD 2024 survey, 28% of 15-year-olds report regularly using an e-cigarette, often a disposable one.

These products are described as particularly attractive due to their low price, bright colors, fruity and sweet aromas, and aggressive social media promotion. Authorities also note shortcomings in age verification, particularly for online sales.

The Secretary of State emphasizes the health aspect of these products:« Disposable e-cigarettes are not a safe consumer product. Many contain toxic substances such as heavy metals and high doses of nicotine salts, and therefore create addiction more quickly than traditional tobacco products. Young people, in particular, underestimate the risks. ".

Disposable e-cigarettes also pose a significant environmental problem. They contain integrated lithium batteries and are generally disposed of improperly, leading to fire hazards in waste treatment facilities, an accumulation of plastic waste, and a waste of rare metals.

Regulation of nicotine products

For nicotine sachets and e-liquids, the Ministry of Health plans to integrate them into tobacco legislation, with rules similar to those for traditional cigarettes: exclusive sale at tobacconists and authorized specialized retailers (such as vape shops), a ban on advertising and sponsorship, a ban on online sales, and mandatory taxation.[2].

A transition period for existing advertising contracts is planned until February 2028.

New regulations are also planned for hemp and CBD: after a three-year transition period, low-THC cannabis products will also be subject to tobacco regulations and can only be distributed by licensed wholesalers and sold in tobacconists. Until 2029, existing CBD shops will be able to continue selling hemp products, but only those products under a monopoly and at fixed prices.[3].

According to Finance Minister Markus Marterbauer, this reform could generate up to 500 million euros in additional tax revenue by 2029. These sums are intended for prevention and health education.

Regarding the fight against smoking, a nationwide ban on smoking in public playgrounds was not adopted, but municipalities will be able to implement it. According to the 2024 Eurobarometer survey, a third of Austrians aged 15 and over still smoke, one of the highest rates in Europe. Only littering cigarette butts in these areas will be prohibited.

Health experts criticize this bill, which they say is influenced by the tobacco and nicotine industry.

The Greens and some non-governmental organizations regret a delay of several years in the implementation of measures deemed necessary for health and the environment, in a country where tobacco control policy is still weak and insufficient. according to the 2021 results of the Tobacco Control Scale Austria only manages 26th place^e out of the 37 European countries analyzed in terms of application of the anti-tobacco measures recommended by the WHO (price increases, smoke-free places, bans on advertising and promotion, health warnings, fight against illicit trade and interference from the industry…).

Ralph Schallmeiner, the Green Party's spokesperson on health, explained that there was an initial, ambitious draft bill on combating smoking and new nicotine products, emphasizing that starting from scratch would only delay the adoption of effective measures. He pointed out that the bill proposed by Health Minister Johannes Rauch (Greens) in the previous government went further than the text currently under discussion, with a general ban on smoking in playgrounds.

The NGO Global 2000 also pointed out that continuing to market these products will lead to the disposal of millions more lithium batteries that could have been used for something else, even though stricter measures could have limited these effects.

The VIVID association, specializing in the prevention of tobacco and nicotine addiction, has expressed its disappointment with this proposed revision. It believes the text gives undue weight to the industry's economic interests, to the detriment of public health, and that it weakens certain regulations, particularly those applicable to heated tobacco products. Indeed, a simplified authorization procedure for heated tobacco has been approved in the name of combating cross-border purchases, and potentially allows for the introduction of new products to tobacconists' shelves as early as 2026.

VIVID also regrets the lack of essential provisions, particularly the regulation of the products themselves. The organization is therefore calling for regulations on the ingredients and additives in nicotine sachets. The association advocates for the establishment of maximum nicotine limits, a ban on flavorings except for tobacco flavoring, and the addition of health warnings on products that currently lack them, such as nicotine sachets.

Finally, she emphasizes the need to regulate nicotine itself, independently of the products, in order to prevent that the emergence of new forms of synthetic nicotine do not quickly render the legislation obsolete.

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[1]Vorarlberg Online, Tabakgesetz-Novelle in Begutachtung: Das soll verboten werden, Published on December 10, 2025, accessed on December 15, 2025

[2]Vorarlberg Online, Neuregelung des Tabakmonopols beschlossen, Published on December 10, 2025, accessed on December 15, 2025

[3]Peter Stadlmüller, Auf Raucher kommen zahlreiche Verschärfungen zu, Kronen Zeitung, published on December 10, 2025, accessed on December 15, 2025

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