Countries That Ban Vaping

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Vapers planning to travel abroad should first be aware of the vaping laws in the country that they are planning to visit. Currently there are 21 different nations that have banned electronic cigarettes, and some of those countries impose hefty fines, while others have even threatened to throw people into prison if they’re caught vaping.

There are various degrees of vaping prohibitions across the globe. Some countries ban only the sale of e-cigs and vape products, while others restrict possession of your equipment. In more nuanced cases, some countries ban nicotine-enhanced e-liquids, while others specifically allow only zero-nicotine products.

The reason for most of these bans are because of misinformation spread by the World Health Organization (WHO), which has suggested that vaping has the potential to be a remarkable tool for tobacco harm reduction but falls short of claiming that they are totally harm-free. This ambiguous position, along with some dubious findings promoted by governments including ours here in the US, has given countries false fears about the effects of vaping.

Here are a list of the 21 countries with e-cig and vape bans: Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Columbia, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Malaysia, Mexico, Oman, Panama, Singapore, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirate, Uruguay, Venezuela.

In total, there are currently around 70 countries that either ban or restrict the use, sale, or import of electronic vaping products. For a complete list of nations and their related vaping laws and restrictions, visit the Tobacco Control BMJ website or the Wikipedia page for the regulation of e-cigs. These laws are constantly changing so make sure your information is up to date!

The most strict countries for vaping are in the Pacific Rim. In Singapore, the government banned the sale, import, and use of e-cigs in 2010 because of their resemblance to tobacco products. Fines of as much as $5,000 can be given out as a result of the use of e-cigs.

In Taiwan, the punishment is even more severe. The government has classified e-cigs as a regulated drug with the penalty for selling vapor devices including potential prison time. This law included other similar items like nicotine-free pens. Thailand, similarly, banned the importation of vaping devices and e-cigs in 2014, although possessing one is still legal.

These are the main countries that have bans on vaping products. A lot of the bans are as a result of misinformation about health effects and allegations that vaping is worse than cigarettes. That simply is not true. In a number of studies, vaping and e-cigarettes are proven healthier and more inexpensive than cigarettes.

In Australia and New Zealand, regulations are still being formulated, though the extent to which they will eventually be regulated could vary widely from country to country. For vapers looking to travel with their vape kits, it’s good to know the laws!