UK Government publish guidance to support understanding of initial measures in the Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026

The UK Government has published four pieces of guidance to support understanding of initial measures in the Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026. These measures will commence on 29 October 2026 and 1 January 2027. These are: 

1.          Selling tobacco, herbal smoking products and cigarette papers: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/selling-tobacco-herbal-smoking-products-and-cigarette-papers

2.          Selling vaping and nicotine products: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/selling-vaping-and-nicotine-products

3.          Tobacco, vaping and nicotine products: fixed penalty notices: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/tobacco-vaping-and-nicotine-products-fixed-penalty-notices

4.          Tobacco and vaping product vending machine ban: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/tobacco-and-vaping-product-vending-machine-ban

The guidance covers a number of areas, including:

• the age of sale for tobacco products, herbal smoking products, cigarette papers, vaping products and nicotine products, including restrictions on proxy purchasing

• age of sale notice requirements for tobacco retailers

• restrictions on free distribution and substantial discounts of relevant products

• offences that fixed penalty notices can be issued for

• the vending machine ban for relevant products and the exemption to vending machine offences for mental health hospitals across England and Wales

This guidance is mainly intended for retailers who will need to understand the changes in the law. It may also be useful for wholesalers, business owners, enforcement authorities and people who use these products.

Scottish Government worked across 4-nations to develop these pieces of guidance, which sit alongside its statutory guidance for retailers of tobacco, vaping, nicotine or herbal smoking products and cigarette papers on creating an age verification policy that was published on the Scottish Government website on 30 July 2026.