The law also prohibits remote sales, including online, and introduces a blanket ban on advertising such products.
The bill, an amendment to Poland’s tobacco control law, passed with overwhelming support on Wednesday: 417 lawmakers voted in favor, one was opposed, and 10 abstained.
The legislation now moves to the Senate, the upper house, for review.
The law aims to close legal loopholes that have allowed minors to access products not containing nicotine, which have become increasingly popular in Poland.
If enacted, it would also outlaw the sale of e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches on the premises of healthcare providers, schools, educational institutions, sports and recreational facilities, as well as through vending machines and self-service systems.
The legislation aligns the rules for nicotine-free vaping devices with those for nicotine-containing ones. This includes a ban on their use in public spaces where vaping is already restricted, such as schools, preschools, restaurants, public transit stops and children’s playgrounds.
The government originally presented the bill in February, but its progress was delayed for three months pending notification to the European Commission, a required step for regulations that may affect the EU internal market.
Separately, the health ministry is preparing a second legislative package that would go even further. The draft would ban the sale of disposable e-cigarettes and flavored nicotine pouches, as well as any similar products not currently covered by the law.
Deputy Health Minister Wojciech Konieczny said the proposal may face a lengthy notification process in Brussels, possibly lasting a year or more.
(rt/gs)
Source: IAR, PAP