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E-cigarette vaping in Bulgaria

Profile
Bulgaria Flag
Cigarettes
Traditional Smokeless
HTP
E-cigarettes
Snus
Pouches
NRT
Bulgaria Background
Profile
Bulgaria Flag
Cigarettes
Traditional Smokeless
HTP
E-cigarettes
Snus
Pouches
NRT
Data sourced: 2023.   Page updated: 2026-08-10

Bulgaria abides by the EU Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) (2014). E-cigarettes that contain nicotine are regulated by Decree 89 (to Promulgate the Law on Amending and Supplementing the Law on Tobacco and Tobacco Products), and non-nicotine products are regulated as consumer products. E-cigarettes are regarded as "tobacco-related" rather than tobacco products as such, and are treated more leniently than tobacco. For example: vaping is allowed in areas where smoking is banned; product notification is free-of-charge; and there is no taxation on e-cigarettes. However, distance sales of e-cigarette products are banned.

Prevalence

66,813
1
2021
Year Value Reference/Comment
2021 1.14% 2A
2023 3% 2B
2023 3% 2C
References:
  1. European Commission. (2021). Special Eurobarometer 506: Attitudes of Europeans towards tobacco and electronic cigarettes (S2240_506_ENG). European Commission. http://data.europa.eu/88u/dataset/S2240_506_ENG
  2. European Commission. (2024). Special Eurobarometer 539: Attitudes of Europeans towards tobacco and related products [Dataset]. European Commission. https://europa.eu/eurobarometer/surveys/detail/2995
  3. Eurobarometer 539 2023 cited in WHO. (2025). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2024 and projections 2025–2030 (6th edn). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240116276
3%
2
2023
4%
2
2023
86,110
3 A
2023
1.5%
4 A
2023
References:
  1. European Commission. (2021). Special Eurobarometer 506: Attitudes of Europeans towards tobacco and electronic cigarettes (S2240_506_ENG). European Commission. http://data.europa.eu/88u/dataset/S2240_506_ENG
  2. Eurobarometer 539 2023 cited in WHO. (2025). WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2024 and projections 2025–2030 (6th edn). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240116276
  3. 1. European Commission. (2024). Special Eurobarometer 539: Attitudes of Europeans towards tobacco and related products [Dataset]. European Commission. https://europa.eu/eurobarometer/surveys/detail/2995 2. Calculation based on population size data of people over 15 years of age (16+). Source of population data: World Population Prospects 2019 [Internet]. United Nations; 2019. (Department of Economic and Social Affairs, editor. Population Division). Report No.: Rev. 1. Available from: https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/Population/
  4. European Commission. (2024). Special Eurobarometer 539: Attitudes of Europeans towards tobacco and related products [Dataset]. European Commission. https://europa.eu/eurobarometer/surveys/detail/2995
Comments:
  1. E-cigarettes with nicotine World Population Prospects 2019 [Internet]. United Nations; 2019. (Department of Economic and Social Affairs, editor. Population Division). Report No.: Rev. 1. Available from: https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/Population/
  2. E-cigarettes with nicotine

Product promotion

Year Value Reference/Comment
2017 or earlier No
2020 No 1A
References:
  1. Global Tobacco Control. Country Laws Regulating E-Cigarettes. Available at: https://www.globaltobaccocontrol.org/en/policy-scan/e-cigarettes/countries?country=68. Accessed: 24 July 2026.
Yes
1
2020
Yes
A
References:
  1. Global Tobacco Control. Country Laws Regulating E-Cigarettes. Available at: https://www.globaltobaccocontrol.org/en/policy-scan/e-cigarettes/countries?country=68. Accessed: 24 July 2026.
Comments:
  1. Allowed or banned at place of sale or allowed or banned in all media.

Regulation

Year Value Reference/Comment
2017 or earlier Allowed 1A
2020 Allowed 1B
References:
  1. Data cross-referenced where possible using the following sources :1. Vapetrotter website. Available at: https://www.vapetrotter.com/laws/ ; 2. Global tobacco control website. Available at:https://www.globaltobaccocontrol.org/node/14052 ; 3. Tobacco Control Laws website. Available at : https://www.tobaccocontrollaws.org/legislation/
  2. Global Tobacco Control. Country Laws Regulating E-Cigarettes. Available at: https://www.globaltobaccocontrol.org/en/policy-scan/e-cigarettes/countries?country=68. Accessed: 24 July 2026.
Yes
2
Yes
2
References:
  1. Global Tobacco Control. Country Laws Regulating E-Cigarettes. Available at: https://www.globaltobaccocontrol.org/en/policy-scan/e-cigarettes/countries?country=68. Accessed: 24 July 2026.
  2. Data cross-referenced where possible using the following sources :1. Vapetrotter website. Available at: https://www.vapetrotter.com/laws/ ; 2. Global tobacco control website. Available at:https://www.globaltobaccocontrol.org/node/14052 ; 3. Tobacco Control Laws website. Available at : https://www.tobaccocontrollaws.org/legislation/

Availability

References:
  1. Global Tobacco Control. Country Laws Regulating E-Cigarettes. Available at: https://www.globaltobaccocontrol.org/en/policy-scan/e-cigarettes/countries?country=68. Accessed: 24 July 2026.

Regulations and restrictions

YES
Year Value Reference/Comment
2017 or earlier YES
2020 YES 1A
References:
  1. Global Tobacco Control. Country Laws Regulating E-Cigarettes. Available at: https://www.globaltobaccocontrol.org/en/policy-scan/e-cigarettes/countries?country=68. Accessed: 24 July 2026.
Year Value Reference/Comment
2017 or earlier YES
2020 YES 1A A
References:
  1. Global Tobacco Control. Country Laws Regulating E-Cigarettes. Available at: https://www.globaltobaccocontrol.org/en/policy-scan/e-cigarettes/countries?country=68. Accessed: 24 July 2026.
Comments:
  1. “Това изделие съдържа никотин, който води до силно пристрастяване. Не се препоръчва за употреба от непушачи” (‘This product contains nicotine which is a highly addictive substance. It is not recommended for use by nonsmokers’).
Year Value Reference/Comment
2016 Yes: 18 years 1A
2020 Yes: 18 years 1B
References:
  1. https://ec.europa.eu/health/tobacco/products/revision_en
  2. Global Tobacco Control. Country Laws Regulating E-Cigarettes. Available at: https://www.globaltobaccocontrol.org/en/policy-scan/e-cigarettes/countries?country=68. Accessed: 24 July 2026.
Year Value Reference/Comment
2017 or earlier Yes
2020 20mg/mL 1A
References:
  1. Global Tobacco Control. Country Laws Regulating E-Cigarettes. Available at: https://www.globaltobaccocontrol.org/en/policy-scan/e-cigarettes/countries?country=68. Accessed: 24 July 2026.
Year Value Reference/Comment
2017 or earlier NO
2020 YES 1A
References:
  1. Global Tobacco Control. Country Laws Regulating E-Cigarettes. Available at: https://www.globaltobaccocontrol.org/en/policy-scan/e-cigarettes/countries?country=68. Accessed: 24 July 2026.
Year Value Reference/Comment
2017 or earlier YES
2020 10mL 1A
References:
  1. Global Tobacco Control. Country Laws Regulating E-Cigarettes. Available at: https://www.globaltobaccocontrol.org/en/policy-scan/e-cigarettes/countries?country=68. Accessed: 24 July 2026.
References:
  1. Global Tobacco Control. Country Laws Regulating E-Cigarettes. Available at: https://www.globaltobaccocontrol.org/en/policy-scan/e-cigarettes/countries?country=68. Accessed: 24 July 2026.
Comments:
  1. “Това изделие съдържа никотин, който води до силно пристрастяване. Не се препоръчва за употреба от непушачи” (‘This product contains nicotine which is a highly addictive substance. It is not recommended for use by nonsmokers’).

Perception of harm

References:
  1. Reference: European Commission (2017). Special Eurobarometer 458: Attitudes of Europeans towards tobacco and electronic cigarettes Available at: http://data.europa.eu/euodp/en/data/dataset/S2146_87_1_458_ENG
Comments:
  1. Question asked in this survey did not compare harmfulness with cigarettes. The question used was 'Do you think they are harmful to the health of people who use them?' 45% - YES, 16% - NO, 39% DON'T KNOW
The GSTHR database is updated regularly by our team. However, please be aware that the information we provide does not constitute legal advice. We cannot guarantee that the information is up to date or accurate, as the regulatory status of different product categories can change at short notice and with little publicity. If you wish to check the legal status of use or possession of any safer nicotine product in a specific country or region, you should verify the information independently. If you have reason to think that the information supplied on the GSTHR is inaccurate, please contact us with details and any references and we will rectify any errors.