The government has announced the full implementation of the Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Act 2023. Starting February 2, 2026, a new licensing system will regulate the retail sale of tobacco and nicotine inhaling products like e-cigarettes.
Key changes include:
- Retailers must obtain annual licences for each premises, costing €1,000 for tobacco and €800 for nicotine products.
- Licences will be managed by the HSE’s National Environmental Health Service, which can suspend or revoke them.
- Temporary or mobile premises (e.g., festival pop-ups) cannot be licensed.
- Retail workers selling these products must generally be over 18 years old, with limited exceptions for family businesses.
- The enforcement authority can publicly name businesses convicted of tobacco control offences.
This replaces the current one-time €50 registration fee and introduces stricter oversight.