Smoking laws change this month – here's what you need to know

New smoking and tobacco legislation comes into force this month.

So if you're a smoker, the way you indulge your habit is about to change.

Packs of 10 cigarettes will be banned, along with small pouches of rolling tobacco and menthols, reports The Daily Post .

There will also be restrictions on vaping and changes to branding.

Here's everything you need to know about the changes.

Say goodbye to menthols

ALL flavoured cigarettes including menthols will be banned from sale in the UK from 20 May 2020.

That includes both pre-produced cigarettes and rolling tobacco.

Shops will also be banned from selling tobacco with any flavoured papers, filters, packages or capsules that let you give the smoke a flavour.

Experts say this is needed because menthols' lighter taste obscures how dangerous they are.

Amanda Sandford of the charity ASH - Action on Smoking and Heath - told the Liverpool Echo: "It is an absolute myth that menthol cigarettes are better for you. All cigarettes are harmful and menthol cigarettes are just as dangerous as normal cigarettes.”

There'll be no more packs of 10

The same rules say all packs must have a "minimum of 20 cigarettes".

The thinking behind this is it'll be more expensive to get hold of a pack in future, with the cheapest costing nearly £9.

That hit to the wallet might put off youngsters who want to give smoking a try.

This also takes full force on 21 May 2017.

And no more small pouches of rolling tobacco

Rolling tobacco can no longer be sold in any pouch smaller than 30 grams.

Just like the minimum pack size of 20 cigarettes, this is to discourage teenagers from buying small amounts then getting addicted.

This law came into force last year but had a grace period, so packs smaller than 30g are banned from sale from 21 May 2017.

Offenders can be jailed for 2 years

Anyone breaching any of the laws above can be jailed for up to two years in the most serious cases.

No more branded packs

All cigarette packs must now be what the government calls a "drab dark brown", dubbed the "world's ugliest colour" - with no logos, promotional images or indications of the cigarette's flavour.

They cannot have "non-standard noises or smells" and must be 65% covered by health warnings, including graphic pictures such as tar-stained lungs.

The law was prompted by an EU directive and took force on 20 May 2016 for manufacturers and importers.

But there was a grace period for sellers and suppliers to get rid of old stock.

Even if they have some left, it will be illegal for shops to sell old-style branded cigarette packs from 21 May 2017.

New restrictions on vaping

Vaping is not being banned.

But a maze of new rules on e-cigarettes was brought in last year. They include:

New red tape for manufacturers and suppliers
Refill containers must be limited to 10ml
Disposable cartridges limited to 2ml
Vitamins, colourings and additives like caffeine and taurine banned
E-cigarettes must be 'child-resistant' in design
Health warnings must cover 30% of each pack surface
Packs cannot describe e-cig's "taste or smell" (they can describe flavouring though)

Once again there was a grace period, so it will be illegal for shops to sell products that don't comply from 20 May 2017.