Vapers planning to travel abroad for the winter break should be aware of the vaping laws that exist in the countries they plan to visit. Currently, about 21 countries have banned e-cigarettes , and some of them threaten to throw violators in jail or at least impose hefty fines. Meanwhile, some countries have stricter vaping laws that are very different from the US.
Some countries ban the sale of e-cigarettes and vaping technology, while others do not ban their possession. Some countries ban e-liquids containing nicotine, while others allow nicotine-free products. The reason for these different laws is that the WHO has suggested that vapes have the potential to be an effective smoking cessation tool, but has not declared them completely harmless.
Countries that are currently banning vaping strongly
Vaping has been banned in Thailand since 2014. Authorities are willing to confiscate tourists' vaping devices and force them to pay fines, with one case requiring a fine of nearly VND70 million, and repeat offenders can even face ten years in prison.
In the United Arab Emirates, airport security can also confiscate vapes and e-liquids even if they are packaged to US safety standards. And in Taiwan, e-cigarettes are considered safe recreational drugs, meaning users risk jail time.
There are around 68 countries that ban, or restrict the use, sale or import of e-cigarettes. For a complete list of countries and their vaping laws, visit the BMJ Tobacco Control website. However, the agency also notes that the information from 2016 is still being updated.
Here are the 21 countries that currently have the strictest e-cigarette bans, but these laws could change as the holidays approach.
Argentina
Indonesia
Taiwan
Austria
Jordan
Tajikistan
Belgium
Malaysia
Thailand
Brazil
Mexico
Turkey
Brunei
Oman
United Arab Emirates
Columbia
Panama
Uruguay
Egypt
Singapore
Venezuela
Vaping etiquette is also an important issue for traveling vapers. For example, Canadian citizens as young as 19 can use e-cigarettes, and while vaping is allowed in public, it is considered rude to do so without asking the host’s permission first.
