Are snus and nicotine pouches legal in Cyprus?
Nicotine pouches are in a legal grey zone in Cyprus: in October 2024 the Drugs Council classified them as pharmaceutical products needing a marketing authorisation, none has been issued, so they cannot be sold through licensed outlets, although they circulate informally without age checks or tax. An MP has tabled a bill to regulate them under the smoking-control law instead. Tobacco snus cannot be sold (Protection of Health (Control of Smoking) Law 24(I)/2017, s. 7, implementing the EU oral tobacco ban), but bringing in a personal supply is allowed. Tobacco sales are 18+.
Southern Europe, EU member
Cyprus at a glance
| Nicotine pouches (tobacco-free) | Tobacco snus | |
|---|---|---|
| Sale to adults | Prescription only | Banned |
| Possession and use | Legal | Legal |
| Personal import (mail order, bringing in) | Unclear | Allowed |
| Online sale inside the country | Unclear | Not allowed |
| Regulated | as a medicine | as a tobacco product |
| Minimum age | No specific limit found | 18 |
| Nicotine strength cap | No legal cap found | No legal cap found |
| Flavours | Unclear | Unclear |
| Excise tax | No product-specific excise | Unclear |
| Legal basis | Drugs Council classification of nicotine pouches as pharmaceutical products (October 2024); Medicinal Products for Human Use Law | Protection of Health (Control of Smoking) Law of 2017 (24(I)/2017), s. 7(1)(c)(i) (implements Directive 2014/40/EU Art. 17) |
| In force since | 1 October 2024 | 13 March 2017 |
Medium confidence: Based on consistent secondary sources; primary text not yet verified. Research tier 1. How we verify.
Nicotine pouches in Cyprus
No licensed sale (pharma classification).
Per Cyprus Mail (January 2026), the Drugs Council classified nicotine pouches as pharmaceutical products in October 2024, so legal sale requires a marketing authorisation, and no such licence has been issued. Pouches therefore fall outside the smoking-control legislation with no rules on strength, taxation or age, and are sold informally. MP Chrysis Pantelidis has proposed legislation to bring them under the smoking-control law with composition standards, a ban on sale to minors and excise duty. GSTHR has no data for Cyprus. Possession for personal use is not known to be penalised; import for personal use is unclear given the medicine classification.
Tax: No excise; products fall outside the tobacco tax regime.
Sources: Cyprus Mail, Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction (GSTHR), Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction (GSTHR)
Tobacco snus in Cyprus
Banned for sale, legal to use.
Section 7(1)(c) prohibits disposing of, offering, displaying or possessing for the purpose of disposal 'tobacco products for oral use'. Supplying tobacco products, e-cigarettes, novel tobacco products and smokeless tobacco to minors (under 18) is prohibited under s. 7(1)(a). Possession for own use is not prohibited.
Tax: Not marketable, so no retail excise in practice.
Sources: Tobacco Control Laws (Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids), Tobacco Control Laws (Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids)
Bringing snus or nicotine pouches into Cyprus
| For personal use | Allowed From another EU country: no fixed limit for personal use (EU guide level 1 kg of tobacco). From outside the EU: 250 g of tobacco (or 200 cigarettes) duty-free per adult. Nicotine pouches have no allowance category; given their pharmaceutical classification, carry only a small personal quantity. |
| Declaration | Not required within the allowance Dry goods; no restrictions in carry-on or checked baggage. |
| Penalties | No specific penalty information found. |
The Cyprus Customs and Excise Department traveller pages returned no content; figures are the standard EU allowances under Directive 2007/74/EC. Note that goods arriving via the north (areas not under government control) are subject to separate Green Line rules.
Full travel guide: can you bring snus and nicotine pouches to Cyprus?
Buying snus and pouches in Cyprus
- Nicotine pouches sold in shops: No
- Tobacco snus sold in shops: No
Pending and proposed changes
- Private member's bill (MP Chrysis Pantelidis) to regulate nicotine pouches under the Protection of Health (Control of Smoking) Law: composition standards, ban on sale to minors, excise duty. Status: proposed.
- EU Tobacco Products Directive revision may bring nicotine pouches under EU-wide rules. Expected: 2026. Status: consultation.
Frequently asked questions
Are nicotine pouches legal in Cyprus?
Not for sale. Since October 2024 the Drugs Council treats nicotine pouches as pharmaceutical products that need a marketing authorisation, and none has been granted, so licensed shops cannot sell them. They are still found informally. A bill to regulate them as a consumer product is pending.
Is snus legal in Cyprus?
Tobacco snus may not be sold in Cyprus under the Protection of Health (Control of Smoking) Law 24(I)/2017, which implements the EU ban on oral tobacco. Using it and bringing in a personal supply are allowed.
Can I bring nicotine pouches or snus to Cyprus?
A personal supply of snus is tolerated; from outside the EU the duty-free tobacco allowance is 250 g. Nicotine pouches have no allowance category and are classified as pharmaceuticals, so bring only a small amount for personal use.
What is the age limit for nicotine pouches in Cyprus?
There is no pouch-specific age rule because pouches fall outside the smoking-control law. Tobacco products, e-cigarettes and smokeless tobacco may not be supplied to under-18s.
Nearby in the atlas
- Albania – pouches unregulated (sold openly), snus banned
- Andorra – pouches no specific rule found, snus no specific rule found
- Austria – pouches legal with restrictions, snus banned
- Belarus – pouches unregulated (sold openly), snus legal
- Belgium – pouches banned, snus banned
- Bosnia and Herzegovina – pouches no specific rule found, snus legal
- Bulgaria – pouches legal with restrictions, snus banned
- Croatia – pouches legal, snus banned
- Czechia – pouches legal with restrictions, snus banned
- Denmark – pouches legal with restrictions, snus banned
Where are nicotine pouches legal?Where is snus legal?Strength limits by countryAge limits by countryThe EU snus ban explained
Sources
- The Protection of Health (Control of Smoking) Law of 2017 (24(I)/2017), English translation (consolidated to 76(I)/2020) – Tobacco Control Laws (Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids) (Legislation, 13 March 2017; accessed 4 September 2026) ✓ verified
“7.-(1) It is prohibited- (a) to supply tobacco products, electronic cigarettes, novel tobacco products, herbal products for smoking and smokeless products of tobacco to a minor; ... (c) to dispose or offer for disposal or agree for disposal or display with the purpose of disposal or possess with the purpose of disposal- (i) tobacco products for oral use”
- Cyprus: legislation list – Tobacco Control Laws (Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids) (NGO / research; accessed 4 September 2026) ✓ verified
“Protection of Health (Control of Smoking) Law, 2017 (No. 24(I)/2017)”
- The war on snus – Cyprus Mail (News, 11 January 2026; accessed 4 September 2026) ✓ verified
“no such licence has been issued”
- Cyprus country profile – Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction (GSTHR) (NGO / research; accessed 4 September 2026) ✓ verified
“Cyprus' unclear regulations on nicotine pouches have created confusion. These pouches lack proper approval”
- Cyprus pouches datasheet – Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction (GSTHR) (NGO / research; accessed 4 September 2026) ✓ verified
“No information”
- Alcohol, tobacco and cash: travelling in the EU – European Union (Your Europe) (Government; accessed 4 September 2026) ✓ verified
“200 cigarettes or 100 cigarillos or 50 cigars or 250 g tobacco”
- Travellers – Republic of Cyprus, Customs and Excise Department (Customs; accessed 4 September 2026) , not re-verified
Record last verified 4 September 2026. Found an error or a newer rule? Tell us and we will re-check the source.