Romanian Parliament Passes New Tobacco Products Law Prohibiting Youth E-cig Use

Regulations by 2FIRSTS.ai
Feb.28.2024
Romanian Parliament Passes New Tobacco Products Law Prohibiting Youth E-cig Use
Romanian Parliament unanimously passes new tobacco law targeting youth access, including e-cigarette restrictions and harsh penalties for violations.

According to local Romanian media Capital, on February 27th, the Romanian Chamber of Deputies unanimously passed a new bill amending and supplementing tobacco product regulations. The main goal of the bill is to restrict children and adolescents' access to tobacco products and expand the ban on sales from vending machines. The new regulations include prohibiting the sale of e-cigarettes, e-cigarette refill pods, and heated tobacco devices to minors under the age of 18. Once signed by President Iohannis, the bill will become national law.

 

The bill also requires educational institutions to implement mandatory measures against students who violate regulations regarding the purchase, possession, and use of tobacco products, e-cigarettes, and heated tobacco devices in their regulations. One amendment proposes to ban the sale of oral nicotine pouches that do not comply with the law. Under the new amended law, the maximum nicotine content allowed in each oral nicotine pouch cannot exceed 20mg.

 

Another amendment passed prohibits smoking and the use of the following products at all schools: e-cigarettes, e-cigarette pods, heat-not-burn tobacco devices, smokeless tobacco products, and oral nicotine pouches.

 

According to the legislation, sellers can require customers to show identification to verify the age of the purchaser. Additionally, under the provisions of the law, the severity of the offense will result in fines reaching up to 100,000 Lira (approximately $21,815).

 

The responsibility of enforcing regulations and imposing penalties will be entrusted to personnel authorized by the Ministry of Health and the National Consumer Protection Authority, as well as representatives from local police or the Ministry of Interior. Romania is one of the first countries in the European Union to implement a ban on the sale of products to minors.

 

British American Tobacco has expressed its support for this decision.

 

We welcome news tips, article submissions, interview requests, or comments on this piece.

Please contact us at info@2firsts.com, or reach out to Alan Zhao, CEO of 2Firsts, on LinkedIn


Notice

1.  This article is intended solely for professional research purposes related to industry, technology, and policy. Any references to brands or products are made purely for objective description and do not constitute any form of endorsement, recommendation, or promotion by 2Firsts.

2.  The use of nicotine-containing products — including, but not limited to, cigarettes, e-cigarettes, nicotine pouchand heated tobacco products — carries significant health risks. Users are responsible for complying with all applicable laws and regulations in their respective jurisdictions.

3.  This article is not intended to serve as the basis for any investment decisions or financial advice. 2Firsts assumes no direct or indirect liability for any inaccuracies or errors in the content.

4.  Access to this article is strictly prohibited for individuals below the legal age in their jurisdiction.

 

Copyright

 

This article is either an original work created by 2Firsts or a reproduction from third-party sources with proper attribution. All copyrights and usage rights belong to 2Firsts or the original content provider. Unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or any other form of unauthorized use by any individual or organization is strictly prohibited. Violators will be held legally accountable.

For copyright-related inquiries, please contact: info@2firsts.com

 

AI Assistance Disclaimer

 

This article may have been enhanced using AI tools to improve translation and editorial efficiency. However, due to technical limitations, inaccuracies may occur. Readers are encouraged to refer to the cited sources for the most accurate information.

We welcome any corrections or feedback. Please contact us at: info@2firsts.com

2Firsts Data | China’s Vape-Related Exports Rise 16.5% in July 2026 as U.S.-Bound Shipments Jump 53.5%
2Firsts Data | China’s Vape-Related Exports Rise 16.5% in July 2026 as U.S.-Bound Shipments Jump 53.5%
China’s vape-related exports reached $1.047 billion in July 2026, up 16.5% year on year and the highest monthly total of the year. Growth was heavily concentrated in the U.S., where exports jumped 53.5% to $404 million and accounted for 94.9% of the overall increase. Exports to all other markets rose just 1.2%. By category, nicotine-containing non-combustible products—primarily vapes—under HS24041200 rose 24.7% and generated 95.5% of the total increase. Vape-device exports under HS85434000 fell 0.4%, while other nicotine-substitute products under HS24041990 grew 88.9% but remained comparatively small.
DATA
Aug.24
Australia’s Tobacco Tax Debate Intensifies as One Nation’s Barnaby Joyce Warns of Illicit Market Growth
Australia’s Tobacco Tax Debate Intensifies as One Nation’s Barnaby Joyce Warns of Illicit Market Growth
Australian One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce has criticised continued tobacco excise increases, arguing that higher taxes are driving consumers toward illicit tobacco markets and benefiting organised crime groups.
Regulations
Jul.13 by 2Firsts Perspectives
UK Reform Party Proposes Cap of 1,000 Vape Shops Under Plan to Tighten Retail Controls
UK Reform Party Proposes Cap of 1,000 Vape Shops Under Plan to Tighten Retail Controls
The UK Reform Party has proposed limiting the number of dedicated vape shops in the country to around 1,000 as part of a plan to tighten oversight of vape retail channels. The proposal was put forward by Reform UK deputy leader and MP Lee Anderson. The plan remains a political proposal and has not become UK government policy, with no detailed legislation, implementation timeline or allocation rules announced.
Aug.10
Australia’s Daily Smoking Rate Falls to Record Low of 5.8% as Nicotine Use Patterns Shift
Australia’s Daily Smoking Rate Falls to Record Low of 5.8% as Nicotine Use Patterns Shift
According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s National Drug Strategy Household Survey, daily smoking among Australians aged 18 and over fell to a record low of 5.8% in 2025. Health Minister Mark Butler said Australia now has around 500,000 fewer daily smokers than three years ago and credited the government’s vaping reforms as part of broader progress. Among people aged 14 and over, daily smoking declined from 8.3% in 2022-23 to 5.6% in 2025. Daily vaping rates stabilised at 3.6%, while the government also moved to further restrict access to nicotine pouches through unapproved therapeutic import pathways.
Jul.21
UK PM Andy Burnham Shifts Business Rates Policy, Supporting Hospitality While Raising Pressure on Vape Shops
UK PM Andy Burnham Shifts Business Rates Policy, Supporting Hospitality While Raising Pressure on Vape Shops
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s government is adjusting business rates policy to support hospitality businesses while some other sectors, including vape retailers, face higher operating cost pressures. According to Streamline Feed, AJ Bell and other reports, the policy shift reflects a redistribution of business rate burdens as the government seeks to support sectors facing economic pressure. For UK vape shops, the change comes amid a broader regulatory environment shaped by the disposable vape ban, the upcoming Vaping Products Duty and increased compliance requirements.
News
Jul.24
China Tobacco Hubei explores staged nicotine pouch delivery, using dynamic membranes to slow early release and gradient particles to sustain later delivery
China Tobacco Hubei explores staged nicotine pouch delivery, using dynamic membranes to slow early release and gradient particles to sustain later delivery
China Tobacco Hubei Industrial Co., Ltd. disclosed several oral nicotine-related patent applications in August 2026, including two that approach staged nicotine release from different directions. One uses a high-viscosity membrane that forms inside the pouch after contact with saliva to slow rapid early release, while the other uses gradient particles with a faster-disintegrating outer layer and a slower core to create a fast-to-sustained release profile. Together, the filings explore how nicotine pouches could balance initial delivery with release later in use.
Sep.03