Latvia has implemented stricter regulations on vaping and nicotine products, becoming the ninth European nation to ban flavoured vapes.
Effective from January 1st 2025, nicotine containing products such as disposable vapes, refillable e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches, cannot be sold to persons under 20 and vaping products should be offered without flavour or with the taste and smell of tobacco only.
The new law also sets a 4 mg/g nicotine limit for nicotine pouches and prohibits the sale of vapes and similar products resembling candy or toys, with the aim to restrict youth access.
This legislative action builds upon previous amendments to Latvia’s Tobacco Products Act. In 2024, it was announced that the country would ban all vape flavours except tobacco and raise the minimum age for purchasing vape products to 20. A subsequent ban on mint and menthol flavours was then added in August 2024.
The flavour ban encompasses both online and brick-and-mortar sales, including purchases from international vendors. For tobacco-flavoured e-liquids, the law restricts permissible flavouring components to 16 specific substances, mirroring regulations in the Netherlands.
Penalties for non-compliance have also been increased, with fines ranging from €280-700 for individuals and €700-7,100 for businesses, according to the news site Baltija.
Despite the new regulations, some Latvian vape retailers are exploring alternative strategies, such as selling unflavoured nicotine and flavour concentrates separately, similar to the “shortfill” approach used in other EU countries and the UK. These tactics aim to circumvent restrictions on pre-mixed flavoured e-liquids.
The flavour ban is currently facing a legal challenge. Latvian manufacturer Pro Vape has filed a lawsuit with the Constitutional Court, arguing the ban is unconstitutional. While the court case proceeds, the law remains in effect. TVNET reports a hearing is scheduled for May 13, with a decision expected this summer.
This regulatory push comes as Latvia grapples with a high smoking rate. With a population of approximately 1.9 million, Latvian Public Media reports that 22.1% of adults in Latvia smoke daily, the third-highest rate in the EU, following only Bulgaria and Greece.
The new regulations reflect a broader European trend toward stricter tobacco and nicotine product control. Latvia’s actions are aimed at curbing youth vaping, reducing smoking rates, and promoting public health; however, many tobacco harm reduction advocates have raised concerns over the negative impact flavour bans can have on current vapers and smokers.
Most recently, a study conducted by Dutch vaping advocacy group ACVODA, revealed the Netherland’s ban on vape flavours had pushed 80% of vapers to circumvent the regulations by sourcing their preferred flavours from international markets or unregulated online sellers. Not only that, but 10% of respondents said they had reverted back to smoking.
Latvia joins eight other EU member states—Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Slovenia, and soon Spain—in prohibiting vape flavours. Ukraine, while not an EU member, has also implemented a similar ban.
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