Czech Republic to Tighten E-Cigarette Rules in December, Ban Candy Flavours and Cannabinoids

Key Points

• Effective Date: December 2025; seven-month transition for stock clearance.
• Main Restrictions: Ban on candy-flavoured and cannabinoid-based e-cigarettes; no use of mineral or vegetable oils or fats in e-liquids.
• Market Context: In 2023, more than 36 million disposable e-cigarettes and 65 million refill packs were sold; refill sales rose over 30-fold in five years.
• Scope: Both nicotine and nicotine-free products must carry health warnings and “18+ only” icons.
• Labeling Rules:

1. Nicotine content must be displayed in mg/ml or μg/dose;
2. Each product must show its registration ID with the Health Ministry;
3. Labels must be printed directly on the product, not covered with stickers.

2Firsts — November 18, 2025 — According to ČTK,the Czech government will introduce stricter regulations on e-cigarette sales and labeling starting December, according to the Czech News Agency (ČTK). Manufacturers will have seven months to sell remaining stock before new restrictions take effect.

Health Ministry spokesperson Ondřej Jakob said the amendment aims to reduce youth exposure to nicotine and e-cigarettes. A 2024 survey by the National Institute of Public Health (SZÚ) found that nearly 14% of Czechs use e-cigarettes — a figure that has nearly tripled in five years.

Among 15–24-year-olds, more than a quarter use e-cigarettes. SZÚ director Barbora Macková warned:

“Nicotine is a highly addictive substance that negatively affects adolescent brain development. Early exposure can lead to long-term problems with learning, attention, and decision-making.”

Experts noted that nicotine concentrations in e-cigarettes can exceed those in conventional cigarettes. Previously, there was no standardized way for manufacturers to report nicotine content. Under the new rules, nicotine levels must be listed in milligrams per millilitre (mg/ml) or micrograms per dose (μg/dose) to allow for easy comparison between products.

All e-cigarette products — including nicotine-free ones — must now feature health warnings and “unsuitable for under-18s” symbols. E-liquids with candy flavours, mineral or plant oils, fats, cannabinoids, or derivatives will be banned. Labels must be printed directly on the product and include a unique registration ID issued by the Health Ministry.

Jakob added that the Health Ministry will update the list of registered e-cigarette products monthly.

In 2023, more than 36 million disposable e-cigarettes and 65 million refill packs were sold in the Czech Republic. While legal sales of disposable products are declining, refill sales have surged more than 30 times in five years. Public health inspectors continue to warn about incorrectly labelled products, particularly online.

The parliamentary and senate health committees had previously instructed the ministry to prepare measures to make e-cigarettes less appealing to children. Although e-cigarettes were originally introduced as a safer alternative for smokers, about one-fifth of current users have never smoked traditional tobacco.

Photo credit: ČTK