In an announcement by the Ministry of Health, Poland’s Health Minister, Izabela Leszczyna, declared that the ban on the sale of e-cigarettes will be implemented starting in 2025. The legislative process has been extended due to necessary consultations.
During a press conference on Monday, Minister Leszczyna mentioned that the work on the bill is ongoing and it will come into effect at the beginning of 2025. The ban was initially planned for the start of the summer, but the process was delayed due to the need to implement an EU directive. This directive includes a definition of heated tobacco products and a ban on characteristic flavors in innovative heated products.
“I was very keen to have this law come into effect before the summer. However, it turned out that it needs to be notified. We do not know how long this process will take, so the realistic implementation date is the beginning of next year,” said Minister Leszczyna.
On the Minister’s desk, there are currently three draft bills. One, which implements the EU directive, has already been sent for consultation. The other two, which regulate sales in a narrow and broad scope, will be sent for consultation by the end of the week.
In May, Minister Leszczyna emphasized that introducing the ban through legislation is a lengthy process requiring notification to the European Union. Poland cannot implement the ban immediately as the UK did.
Serious E-Cigarette Problem in Polish Schools
The survey “Smoking and Vaping Among School Youth,” conducted by the Stowarzyszenie Walki z Rakiem Płuca Oddział Szczecin in December 2023 and January 2024, revealed that 6 out of 10 primary and secondary school students smoke or use nicotine products daily or occasionally.
“Our survey shows that e-cigarettes have firmly replaced traditional cigarettes in Polish schools. Increasingly, these are single-use e-cigarettes with sweet, dessert, or fruit flavors that smell nice and taste good. Seven out of ten students who use e-cigarettes cited flavor and aroma as the main reasons for their popularity,” said Rafał Molenda from the Stowarzyszenie Walki z Rakiem Płuca Oddział Szczecin.
The ban on selling tobacco products to minors has been in place in Poland for a long time. However, it has not achieved the expected results, which the upcoming law banning the sale of e-cigarettes aims to provide.
