To smoke or not to smoke

A study by the ILRES institute, published by the Health Directorate and the Cancer Foundation (Fondation Cancer) to mark World No Tobacco Day, has revealed that around a third of Luxembourg residents aged 16 and over use tobacco or nicotine. Alongside traditional cigarettes, there has been a marked rise in the popularity of new nicotine-containing products, such as e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches, particularly among young people.

According to the survey data, the majority of consumers start using nicotine before the age of 18, influenced by stress, peer pressure and a desire to conform to a certain social status. The 16–24 age group encompasses absolutely every form of consumption: cigarettes, shisha, vaping and pouches. At the same time, researchers emphasise that the use of e-cigarettes often becomes the main gateway to traditional cigarette smoking. Nevertheless, one in two young smokers expresses a desire to quit, citing health concerns as their main motivation. Another serious problem in the country remains the high level of second-hand smoke to which young people are regularly exposed in public places, on open terraces and in banquet halls during events.

To stabilise the situation in Luxembourg, a law dated 28 November 2025 came into force, introducing strict regulatory measures from 1 January 2026. The new legislation limits the maximum nicotine content in pouches to 0.048 mg per unit and completely bans their use in places frequented by minors, including schools and playgrounds. Furthermore, the legislation has banned the addition of stimulants associated with energy and vitality, such as caffeine, taurine or cannabidiol (CBD), to vapes, and has equated heated tobacco products with conventional cigarettes. The sale of any nicotine products to persons under the age of 18 is strictly prohibited, and retailers are now required to ask for proof of age if there is the slightest doubt regarding a customer’s age.