1c:["$","details",null,{"children":[["$","summary",null,{"children":["On this page ",["$","span",null,{"className":"meta","children":[6," sections"]}]]}],["$","ol",null,{"children":[["$","li","which-products-are-covered",{"children":["$","a",null,{"href":"#which-products-are-covered","children":"Which products are covered?"}]}],["$","li","adults-cannot-buy-them-for-children",{"children":["$","a",null,{"href":"#adults-cannot-buy-them-for-children","children":"Adults cannot buy them for children"}]}],["$","li","giveaways-coupons-and-discounts",{"children":["$","a",null,{"href":"#giveaways-coupons-and-discounts","children":"Giveaways, coupons and discounts"}]}],["$","li","where-vending-machines-are-banned",{"children":["$","a",null,{"href":"#where-vending-machines-are-banned","children":"Where vending machines are banned"}]}],["$","li","what-adults-can-still-do",{"children":["$","a",null,{"href":"#what-adults-can-still-do","children":"What adults can still do"}]}],["$","li","reporting-illegal-sales",{"children":["$","a",null,{"href":"#reporting-illegal-sales","children":"Reporting illegal sales"}]}]]}]]}] 1d:["$","div",null,{"className":"in-short pinned","children":[["$","span",null,{"className":"pin","style":{"background":"var(--yellow)"}}],["$","h2",null,{"children":"In short"}],["$","ul",null,{"children":[["$","li","The 18+ sales rule now covers nicotine-free vapes and non-medicinal nicotine products, including pouches, strips and pearls.",{"children":"The 18+ sales rule now covers nicotine-free vapes and non-medicinal nicotine products, including pouches, strips and pearls."}],["$","li","Adults must not buy or try to buy in-scope products for under-18s; promotional giveaways and substantial discounts are restricted.",{"children":"Adults must not buy or try to buy in-scope products for under-18s; promotional giveaways and substantial discounts are restricted."}],["$","li","Customer vending machines are banned across the UK, with a narrow vaping-only exception in adult inpatient mental-health areas in England and Wales.",{"children":"Customer vending machines are banned across the UK, with a narrow vaping-only exception in adult inpatient mental-health areas in England and Wales."}],["$","li","Adults aged 18 or over can still buy these products for themselves where the sale is otherwise lawful.",{"children":"Adults aged 18 or over can still buy these products for themselves where the sale is otherwise lawful."}]]}]]}] 1e:["$","div",null,{"className":"prose","id":"prose","children":[["$","p","lead",{"children":["From 29 October 2026, retailers across the UK must not sell an in-scope vaping or nicotine product to anyone under 18. The rule also applies to online retailers, covers nicotine-free vapes and makes buying these products for a child an offence for adults. Promotional offers and vending machines face new restrictions too. ",["$","a","1",{"href":"https://www.gov.uk/guidance/selling-vaping-and-nicotine-products","rel":"noopener noreferrer","target":"_blank","children":"GOV.UK guidance on selling vaping and nicotine products"}]," explains the age-of-sale rules."]}],["$","h2","scope-heading",{"id":"which-products-are-covered","children":"Which products are covered?"}],["$","p","scope-products",{"children":["Vaping products include devices, e-liquids and related parts such as pods and coils. Nicotine products include pouches, dissolvable strips and pearls; synthetic nicotine is covered too. Medical devices and medicinal products are excluded, as are components such as batteries, charging devices and electrical leads. ",["$","a","1",{"href":"https://www.gov.uk/guidance/selling-vaping-and-nicotine-products","rel":"noopener noreferrer","target":"_blank","children":"The GOV.UK selling guidance"}]," lists the full scope and exclusions."]}],["$","p","jurisdictions",{"children":["The existing age limits differed by nation. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the earlier under-18 sales rule covered nicotine-containing vapes. Scotland already restricted sales of nicotine and non-nicotine vapes to under-18s; from 29 October, the age limit also covers nicotine products. ",["$","a","1",{"href":"https://www.gov.uk/guidance/selling-vaping-and-nicotine-products","rel":"noopener noreferrer","target":"_blank","children":"The official guidance sets out the differences"}],"."]}],["$","h2","proxy-heading",{"id":"adults-cannot-buy-them-for-children","children":"Adults cannot buy them for children"}],["$","p","proxy",{"children":["From 29 October, anyone aged 18 or over commits an offence by buying, or attempting to buy, an in-scope vaping or nicotine product on behalf of someone under 18. This is known as proxy purchasing. ",["$","a","1",{"href":"https://www.gov.uk/guidance/selling-vaping-and-nicotine-products","rel":"noopener noreferrer","target":"_blank","children":"The GOV.UK guidance"}]," says the offence applies to both a completed purchase and an attempt."]}],["$","h2","promotion-heading",{"id":"giveaways-coupons-and-discounts","children":"Giveaways, coupons and discounts"}],["$","p","promotion",{"children":["It is an offence to give a member of the public a vaping or nicotine product, or a coupon for one, where the purpose or effect is to promote the product. Selling a covered product or coupon at a substantial discount is also an offence when its purpose or effect is promotional. Coupons can be physical or electronic. These restrictions apply from 29 October and cover shops and online sales. ",["$","a","1",{"href":"https://www.gov.uk/guidance/selling-vaping-and-nicotine-products","rel":"noopener noreferrer","target":"_blank","children":"The selling guidance explains the promotion rules"}],"."]}],["$","h2","vending-heading",{"id":"where-vending-machines-are-banned","children":"Where vending machines are banned"}],["$","p","vending",{"children":["Across the UK, anyone managing or controlling premises commits an offence by having a vending machine customers can use to buy an in-scope product or that dispenses one to a customer as part of a sale, even if the customer pays elsewhere. A vending machine can store stock securely only if it does not sell or dispense products to customers. ","$L21","$L22"]}],"$L23","$L24","$L25","$L26","$L27"]}] 1f:["$","div",null,{"className":"author-box","children":["$b:2:props:children:0:props:children:4:props:children:0",["$","div",null,{"children":[["$","strong",null,{"children":"ParentMag Editorial Team"}],["$","p",null,{"children":"Editorial team"}]]}]]}] 20:["$","section",null,{"className":"section wrap no-print","aria-labelledby":"related-title","children":[["$","div",null,{"className":"section-head","children":["$","h2",null,{"id":"related-title","children":"Read next"}]}],["$","div",null,{"className":"story-grid","children":[["$","$L19","100-energy-payment-england-parents",{"className":"story","href":"/articles/100-energy-payment-england-parents","children":[["$","svg",null,{"viewBox":"0 0 200 150","className":"art","role":"$undefined","aria-label":"$undefined","aria-hidden":true,"dangerouslySetInnerHTML":{"__html":"\n \n \n \n \n "}}],["$","div",null,{"className":"tags","children":[["$","span",null,{"className":"tag stage","children":"All ages"}],["$","span",null,{"className":"tag","children":"Wellbeing"}]]}],["$","h3",null,{"children":"£100 energy payment for England: who may get it, and when?"}],["$","p",null,{"children":"Eligible households in England’s bands A–D may receive a one-off £100 from January 2027. Devolved governments will decide how to use additional funding for similar support based on local needs."}],["$","span",null,{"className":"meta","children":["ParentMag Editorial Team"," · ",2," min read"]}]]}],["$","$L19","self-employed-parental-pay-parents-2026-10-29",{"className":"story","href":"/articles/self-employed-parental-pay-parents-2026-10-29","children":[["$","svg",null,{"viewBox":"0 0 200 150","className":"art","role":"$undefined","aria-label":"$undefined","aria-hidden":true,"dangerouslySetInnerHTML":{"__html":"\n \n \n \n "}}],["$","div",null,{"className":"tags","children":[["$","span",null,{"className":"tag stage","children":"Bump · Baby"}],["$","span",null,{"className":"tag","children":"Birth"}]]}],["$","h3",null,{"children":"Parental Allowance planned for self-employed fathers and partners from 2029"}],["$","p",null,{"children":"A Budget plan would bring paid support to eligible self-employed fathers and partners from April 2029, with up to 39 weeks for adopters. It is not claimable now."}],["$","span",null,{"className":"meta","children":["ParentMag Editorial Team"," · ",2," min read"]}]]}]]}]]}]

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