Ireland Moves to Crack Down on Vapes, Nicotine Pouches & Novel Nicotine Products

The Irish Government has approved new legislation that will significantly tighten the rules around nicotine products, including vapes and nicotine pouches, with a particular focus on protecting children from increasingly aggressive industry marketing.

The Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) (Amendment) Bill 2026 has been approved by Government and will now be brought forward for enactment. It builds on existing tobacco and vaping legislation, extending regulation to cover novel nicotine products, including pouches, and is designed to future-proof the law by applying not only to products currently on the market but to any new nicotine products that emerge.

Under the Bill, the sale of nicotine pouches and similar consumption products to anyone under 18 will be prohibited. Advertising of nicotine inhaling and consumption products will be banned across all retail outlets, and point-of-sale displays will be prohibited in mixed retail settings.

The legislation will also restrict the use of colours and imagery on vape devices and packaging, ban designs that resemble toys or games, and prohibit all flavour descriptors beyond basic flavour names. Flavours in nicotine inhaling products will ultimately be limited to tobacco, with further changes possible through regulation.

Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill said:

"This Bill will enhance and expand existing legislation on nicotine inhaling products by reducing their appeal, visibility and accessibility. It will also prohibit the sale of current and future recreational nicotine products to minors and reduce their visibility in retail outlets. Together these laws represent a comprehensive package to limit the promotion and sale of these addictive products. They also illustrate Ireland's continuing leadership on tobacco and nicotine control, as part of efforts to support and protect our population to live healthier lives."

Minister for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drug Strategy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor said:

"I welcome the approval of Government to bring these important public health measures forward for enactment. I particularly welcome the approach taken to address new products such as nicotine pouches which will ensure that new law to protect our children does not have to be developed each time a new product comes onto the market. We are dealing with an increasingly aggressive industry marketing attractively packaged addictive products that appeal to children. 

We are responding strongly with measures that will protect our young people against current and future threats. This Bill complements the legislation already underway to ban single-use vapes, and I am very pleased to be bringing the Public Health (Single-Use Vapes) Bill through the Committee and all remaining Stages in the Dáil this evening. I look forward to working with Minister Carroll MacNeill to bring these measures into operation as soon as possible."