{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/health-and-personal-social-services-northern-ireland-order-1978/article-4L",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/health-and-personal-social-services-northern-ireland-order-1978/article-4L.json",
  "legislation": "nisi/1978/1907",
  "legislation_title": "Health and Personal Social Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1978",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/health-and-personal-social-services-northern-ireland-order-1978",
  "path": "article/4L",
  "kind": "article",
  "number": "4L",
  "heading": "Free distribution and discounts of products",
  "text": "(1) A person commits an offence if—\n(a) the person—\n(i) gives away a product or coupon to a member of the public or sells a product or coupon at a substantial discount, or\n(ii) causes or permits that to happen, and\n(b) either—\n(i) their purpose in doing so is to promote a relevant product, or\n(ii) the effect of their doing so will be to promote a relevant product and they know, or have reason to suspect, that will be the effect.\n(2) In paragraph (1) “relevant product” means—\n(a) a tobacco product,\n(b) a herbal smoking product,\n(c) cigarette papers,\n(d) a vaping product, or\n(e) a nicotine product.\n(3) Where a person is charged with an offence under this Article of giving away a vaping product or nicotine product, or a coupon for such a product, it is a defence for the person to prove that the product or coupon was given away in accordance with arrangements made by a public authority.\n(4) A person guilty of an offence under this Article is liable—\n(a) on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months, or a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum, or both;\n(b) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years, or a fine, or both.\n(5) In this Article “coupon” means anything (whether in physical or electronic form) which, by itself or together with something else, can be redeemed for a product or service or for cash or any other benefit.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Art. 4L and cross-heading inserted (29.10.2026) by Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026 (c. 18), ss. 84, 175(1)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisi/1978/1907/article/4L",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-11-05T03:42:57.809351+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}