New laws are coming in tomorrow which will change the lives of smokers and vapers across Europe.

According to Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) there’s around 10million smokers in the UK and a further 2.6million are puffing on e-cigarettes.

But new rules will be enforced under the Tobacco and Regulated Products Regulations 2016 in the hopes of slashing the number of nicotine addicts by 2.4million.

New laws are coming in tomorrow which will change the lives of smokers and vapers across Europe.

According to Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) there’s around 10million smokers in the UK and a further 2.6million are puffing on e-cigarettes.

But new rules will be enforced under the Tobacco and Regulated Products Regulations 2016 in the hopes of slashing the number of nicotine addicts by 2.4million.

The change affects cigarettes, hand-rolling tobacco and e-cigarettes manufactured for sale in the UK.

All products will have to comply with the regulations from 20 May 2016 but there will be a one-year transitional period while old stock is sold off.

Here’s everything you need to know about the new rules:

CIGARETTES

Standardised plain packaging

In a bid to discourage smokers from being attracted to pretty packaging, all cigarette boxes and rolling pouches will be standardised.

You will no longer be able to spot a pack of Pall Mall from Marlboro and all packets will have the same olive-green colour, opening and font styles.

This means “lipstick-style” packs aimed at women, such as Vogue cigarettes, will also be outlawed.

Graphic health warnings

At least 65% of the packaging on show must be covered with public health warnings, graphic photos and text to demonstrate the damage that smoking does to your health.

On top of the warnings, there’ll be a ban on promotional statements such as “this product is free of additives” or ”is less harmful than other brands”.

Other misleading descriptions such as “lite”, “natural” and “organic” will no longer be allowed.

Ban on 10-packs of cigarettes

All packs must contain a minimum of 20 cigarettes to make room for the health warnings.

Small bags of rolling tobacco will also be banned – with pouches forced to weigh at least 30g while the current smallest pouch size is 8g.

Menthol and flavoured tobacco to become illegal

It’s very bad news for menthol fans because the flavoured fags will be phased out from tomorrow before becoming completely illegal by May 20 2020.

Other flavours which will become extinct in the next four years include fruit, spice, herbs, alcohol, candy or vanilla.

 

WARNING: All packs will be plastered with health advice

E-CIGARETTES AND VAPING

Smaller, weaker containers

While there’s currently no limitation on the size of refill containers, it will now be capped at 10ml and 2ml for disposable e-cigarettes, cartridges and tanks.

This rule change could have a knock-on effect on the price of each container, as vaping fans will no longer be able to buy in bulk.

Secondly the maximum strength of a vile of vaping liquid will drop to 20mg per ml of nictotine, down from 24mg.

Zero nicotine products are not included in the legislation change.

 

VAPING: The changes will also affect e-cigarettes

Packaging with health warnings

Similar to cigarettes, electronic fag packaging will also require health warnings.

Around 30% of the packet should be plastered with advice, stating: “This product contains nicotine which is a highly addictive substance.”

E-cigarettes must be childproof

The vaping liquid is potentially dangerous if it’s ingested so new rules state e-cigarettes must be childproof and tamper-proof.

Adverts will change

Under the new laws, e-cigarette companies won’t be able to claim that vaping is beneficial to peoples’ health.

This means they can’t draw comparisons between vaping versus smoking tobacco either.

Celebrities will be banned from endorsing e-cigarettes and free samples won’t be allowed to be given out in promotional campaigns.

Greater government scrutiny

Vaping giants will have to submit information to the government detailing exactly what their products contain before they are allowed to sell them in the UK.

It will soon become illegal to advertise most e-cigarettes.

The new law is being brought in as part of the EU’s Tobacco Product Directive, which is coming into force on Friday.

According to new laws being brought in to regulate tobacco sales, any promotion, sponsorship or advertising of e-cigarettes or their refill containers will be prohibited.

The ban will apply to most mainstream media platforms – including the internet, television and radio.

For now adverts on outside posters and on the sides of buses are still allowed, as long as the bus isn’t leaving the UK.

And where ads are permitted, they won’t be allowed to make claims about e-cigarettes helping people to give up smoking.

However, there are a couple of exceptions.

Zero nicotine e-cigarettes – for example, 100 per cent herbal vapes – are not covered by the new laws because they’re not tobacco products.

On the other end of the scale, if an e-cig contains more than 20mg/ml of nicotine then, under the TPD, it will need to be medicinally licenced.

Because of this, high-nicotine e-cigs will be regulated by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency instead, and are subject to the same advertising regulations as over-the-counter medicines.

This means e-cigs with higher than 20mg cannot be endorsed by celebrities, given out as free samples, or marketed to children.

Some in the industry think the new regulation on advertising will be excessively restrictive.

Richard Hyslop, chief executive of the Independent British Vape Trade Association, told Metro.co.uk: ‘There is never a situation where it is better to smoke than it is to vape.

‘Vaping is now recognised by the UK Government as the most popular form of support to stop smoking.

‘However, with virtually all forms of advertising for vape products being banned how are smokers to be exposed to vaping?

‘This advertising ban can only result in a situation where fewer smokers make the switch the vaping – a significantly less harmful alternative.’

However, others are welcoming the law change.

Brett Horth, CEO of e-liquid manufacturer Vapour Labs, told Metro.co.uk: ‘Whilst the TPD regulations may seem strict to some, we feel it is hugely positive for the industry and we encourage its enforcement today.

‘TV, radio and online advertising has been banned, however outdoor advertising – such as on vehicles or billboards – is still allowed, which provides us with an all-new opportunity!’