Vape Flavours Will Be Banned in Ireland: What It Means for You (Menthol Included)

Eoin O'Boyle

Oct 21, 2026

Breaking · Passed by the Seanad, 21 October 2026

Vape flavours will be banned in Ireland.

Every flavour except tobacco, in e-liquids and in kits. Including menthol and mint.

Once the President signs it, flavours are set to disappear from every shop in Ireland in about a year. Nothing changes today. We're open as normal, and we still have limited pre-tax stock.

Shop pre-tax stock →Bulk orders ↓

On Wednesday 21 October 2026, the Seanad passed the final stages of the Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) (Amendment) Bill 2026, the law that bans vape flavours in Ireland. It had already passed the Dáil in June. 28 of the 35 Senators who voted backed it.

This page explains, in plain English, what the vape flavour ban means for you: which flavours are banned, when the ban starts, what happens to vape kits and packaging, and what you can still do. I've also written honestly about what it means for us at OB Vape.

Quick answer: are vape flavours being banned in Ireland?

Yes. The flavour ban passed the Dáil (June 2026) and the Seanad (21 October 2026).
Only two flavour names will be allowed: "Tobacco" and "Unflavoured".
Menthol and mint are banned too. So are words like "Ice", "Cool" and "Fresh".
When? Our best estimate is around November or December 2027, roughly a year from now.
Is it law yet? Not until the President signs it, which is expected within a couple of weeks.
Can I still buy flavours? Yes. Nothing changes today. Shop pre-tax flavoured e-liquids.

Shop your favourites before the ban

Every flavour below is still legal to buy today. Some of our stock was bought before the vape tax came in, so there's no tax in the price, and when it's gone, it's gone.

Pre-tax e-liquids → Pre-tax nic salts → Menthol & mint → Pre-tax shortfills → Any 5 for €30 →

Popular ranges: Elux Legend nic salts, Elfliq nic salts, IVG 50/50 e-liquids, pre-tax vape kits and prefilled pod kits. Delivery across Ireland is free over €50.

What happened in the Seanad

The Seanad took the Committee and Remaining Stages of the bill on Wednesday 21 October 2026, and it passed. 28 of the 35 Senators who voted supported it. Because it had already passed the Dáil in June, the bill has now been passed by both Houses of the Oireachtas.

When will vape flavours be banned in Ireland?

The President signs it into law. This is expected within the next couple of weeks. Until then, it isn't law.
The Minister for Health signs a commencement order. Signing the bill doesn't switch it on. The Government has said it wants the law in operation by the end of this year.
A 12-month grace period. The flavour ban has a built-in 12-month grace period from the day that part of the law is commenced.

Put together, our best estimate is that flavours will be banned from around November or December 2027. We'll update this page as soon as there's an exact date.

Which vape flavours will be banned?

Only two flavour names will be allowed: "Tobacco" and "Unflavoured". Everything else goes:

Fruit flavours (strawberry, blueberry, watermelon, mango and the rest)
Desserts, sweets and candy flavours
Drinks flavours (cola, energy drinks, lemonade)
Menthol and mint
Even words like "Ice", "Cool" or "Fresh", because they hint at a taste or a feeling

The ban covers flavours in e-liquids and in kits, including nic salts, 50/50 e-liquids, shortfills and prefilled pods. If you currently vape menthol, it is on the banned list. Our guide to the best tobacco e-liquids and which tobacco flavour is closest to your old cigarettes may help.

Plain packaging and the advertising ban

Plain devices and packaging. Every vape device will have to be one government-prescribed colour, with no branding, no graphics and no extra features. Every bottle, box and cap will be in one prescribed colour too. Plain packaging, just like cigarettes. Picture shelves of identical products with two flavour names on them.

No advertising. All vape advertising in shops and on websites will be banned. In supermarkets, newsagents and garages, vapes will have to be hidden out of sight.

On top of the vape tax

All of this comes on top of the vape tax. After this Budget's increase it's 70c per ml: €7 of duty, plus VAT, on every 10ml bottle. That's why our pre-tax stock matters: once it's gone, everything after it carries the full tax.

How I feel about this

I'm Eoin O'Boyle. I've run OB Vape, a family-run shop in Drogheda, for eight years. I'll be honest: I was in tears writing this.

This is barbaric. The Government is a joke. 28 Senators voted for this in the face of every bit of evidence that it will send ex-smokers back to cigarettes, create a black market, flood the country with illegal, unregulated product, and hand the whole market to big tobacco, the only companies who'll bother making plain-pack, tobacco-flavour liquid for petrol stations.

A Minister for Health who pushes people who quit smoking back towards cigarettes has no business calling this a health measure. Our leaders are not fit for purpose.

What it means for OB Vape

I'm devastated to my core. I've put eight years of my life into this business and this team. When the flavour ban comes in, OB Vape will almost certainly have to close. There is no version of this shop that survives selling one tobacco flavour and a wall of identical devices.

But I want to be just as honest about the timing. This isn't today or tomorrow. It's about a year away. Until then we're here, open as normal in Southgate, Drogheda and online, looking after you the way we always have.

Stocking up and bulk orders

I have never once told a customer to stock up, and I wouldn't normally. But I'm saying it now. We have a limited amount of flavoured stock that we bought before the vape tax, so there's no tax in the price. That includes menthol. When it's gone, it's gone.

For a bulk amount of your favourites, email info@obvape.ie with what you want, or ring the shop on 083 078 5000. Bulk orders are paid up front, and we'll come back to you with what we can do.

Shop pre-tax stock →Email a bulk order →

There's still one thing left to fight for

The law gives the Minister for Health the power to add extra flavour names later by regulation. Nothing has been added yet, but that door is still open.

Please email your local TDs and Senators. Tell them you're an adult who quit smoking with flavours, and ask them to push the Minister to use that power to add flavours like menthol before the ban comes in. You can find them all on oireachtas.ie, or ring Leinster House on 01 618 3000.

Not sure what to write? Copy this

Subject: Please ask the Minister to allow menthol and other vape flavours

Dear [TD or Senator's name],

My name is [your name] and I live in [your town].

I smoked for [number] years. Flavoured vapes helped me quit, and I haven't smoked since [year].

The Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) (Amendment) Bill 2026 will leave me with only tobacco or unflavoured vapes. I'm worried I'll go back to smoking, and that people like me will be pushed towards illegal sellers.

The Minister has the power to add flavours by regulation. Please ask her to use it to allow menthol and other adult flavours before the ban comes in, alongside strict ID checks and enforcement.

Thank you,
[your name]

Change the details to your own story. One honest paragraph about your life is worth more than any statistic.

Vape flavour ban Ireland: frequently asked questions

Are vape flavours banned in Ireland yet?

No. The bill has passed both the Dáil and the Seanad, but it isn't law until the President signs it. Even then, the flavour ban only takes effect after a commencement order and a 12-month grace period. You can still buy flavoured e-liquids today.

When does the vape flavour ban start in Ireland?

Our best estimate is around November or December 2027. We'll update this page when an exact date is set.

Is menthol included in the Irish vape flavour ban?

Yes. Only "Tobacco" and "Unflavoured" will be allowed, so menthol and mint are banned too, along with descriptors like "Ice", "Cool" and "Fresh". Shop menthol e-liquids while you still can.

Does the ban apply to vape kits and prefilled pods?

Yes. The flavour rules apply to e-liquids and kits, including prefilled pods. Devices and packaging will also have to be one government-prescribed colour with no branding or graphics.

Can I still use my refillable vape kit after the ban?

The ban is on flavours, not on vaping. A refillable kit can still be used with tobacco or unflavoured e-liquid. New devices sold will have to meet the plain-colour rules.

Can I stock up on flavoured vapes now?

Yes. Flavours are legal to sell to adults aged 18 and over until the ban comes into force. We have limited pre-tax stock, including menthol. See bulk orders.

Will OB Vape close?

When the flavour ban comes in, OB Vape will almost certainly have to close. That's about a year away, and until then we're open as normal in the shop and online.

Can the Government still add flavours like menthol?

Yes. The Minister has the power to add extra flavour names by regulation. Nothing has been added yet. Contact your TDs and Senators and ask them to push for it.

Adults only: Vapes and nicotine products are for adults aged 18 and over. Nicotine is addictive. If you don't smoke or vape, don't start.