site.btaParliamentary Economy Committee Unanimously Adopts Ban on Vapes, Energy Drinks for Minors

On Tuesday, the parliamentary Committee on Economic Policy and Innovation unanimously adopted on first reading the bill amending the Tobacco and Tobacco Products Act, introduced and presented by Parliamentary Health Committee Chair Kostadin Angelov of GERB-UDF on February 7, 2025.

According to the bill’s sponsors, the proposed legislation aims to protect the lives and health of Bulgarian citizens from the harmful effects of electronic cigarettes, commonly known as vapes, as well as energy drinks consumed by minors.

The amendments propose a complete ban on the offering, sale, distribution, and advertisement of both vapes for single or multiple use —whether they contain nicotine or not—as well as similar devices. The Child Protection Act will also be amended to prohibit the use, offering, and sale of all nicotine-containing products and energy drinks to minors.

Since the beginning of 2025, Bulgaria has seen several incidents involving individuals under 18 years of age who suffered health consequences after vaping substances or excessively consuming energy drinks. One of the most serious cases involved a 14-year-old boy from Pleven, who died after falling off a seventh-floor balcony after smoking a vape containing hexahydrocannabinol.