Government attitudes toward vaping and nicotine vary. In the United Kingdom, vaping is essentially encouraged by government health agencies. Because smoking creates a costly burden for the UK’s National Health Service, the country stands to save lives and money if smokers switch to e-cigarettes.
Many other countries also allow a regulated vaping market, but are less enthusiastic about the practice. In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has had authority over vapor products since 2016, but has refused to create a plain system of standards for e-cigarettes and e-liquids. In recent years, some U.S. states have imposed flavor and online sales bans. Canada somewhat followed the U.K. model for a short time, but has recently imposed nicotine-strength limits and extreme flavor restrictions. Rick And Morty Puff Bar
There are more than 40 countries that have some type of ban on vaping—either on possession and use, sales, or importation, or a combination. What we have attempted here is to list U.S. state flavor and online sales bans, and the sales and use bans imposed in other countries.
The FDA has federal authority to regulate vaping products. In September 2020 the agency began reviewing Premarket Tobacco Applications (PMTAs), and has signalled it will not authorize flavored products without extraordinary evidence. Whether the agency will be successful creating an unwritten standard that eliminates legal flavored products (except tobacco and menthol) may be determined by federal courts.
Most vape bans in the U.S. happen at the state and local levels. And while a few California cities—notably San Francisco—have banned sales of all vaping products, most American vape restrictions involve flavors and online sales. There are only a few of each, despite the large number of vaping bans that have been proposed in state legislatures in recent years—proof that grassroots opposition can stop bad legislation.
Arkansas – online sales ban Tobacco permits issued to Arkansas businesses only allow face-to-face transactions, so online sales are prohibited
California – flavor ban on in-store sales California now bans the in-store sale of vaping products in flavors other than tobacco—with or without nicotine. The statewide law, approved by voters in 2022, does not ban online sales, but some localities have stricter laws
Georgia – online sales ban Georgia allows only face-to-face retail transactions of vaping products, so online sales are prohibited
Hawaii – online sales ban from out of state Hawaii bans online sales from outside the state, except to licensed retailers
Maine – online sales ban Maine bans online sales, except between licensed businesses
Massachusetts – flavor ban The first statewide flavor ban was passed in late 2019 by Massachusetts. It includes all tobacco products, and prohibits sales of all vape flavors except tobacco
New Jersey – flavor ban New Jersey’s ban covers all flavors except tobacco. Legislators decided not to ban menthol cigarettes after realizing how much tax revenue the state would lose. The governor signed the flavor ban and an increased tax on vaping products, but vetoed the attached 20 mg/mL nicotine-strength limit
New York – flavor ban + online sales ban The New York flavor ban, which covers all flavors except tobacco, was passed in April 2020. The state also adopted an online sales ban (of all vaping products) at the same time
Oregon – online sales ban Oregon bans online sales, except between licensed businesses
Rhode Island – flavor ban In March 2020, then-governor Gina Raimondo bypassed the state legislature and used the Department of Health to create a permanent ban on all vape flavors except tobacco
South Dakota – online sales ban Shipping of all tobacco products (including vapes) is prohibited in South Dakota
Utah – online sales ban Utah bans online sales, except between licensed businesses
Vermont – online sales ban Vermont bans online sales, except between licensed businesses
Major cities with flavor bans include Chicago, IL; Los Angeles (takes effect in 2023), San Diego, Sacramento, Oakland and San Jose, CA; and Boulder, CO. Hundreds of smaller cities and counties—mostly in California—have flavor bans, as do some larger cities whose bans have since been superseded by state bans (like New York City and Newark, NJ)
Complete bans on vaping product sales have been adopted by San Francisco and some smaller California cities
In some nations, vaping is completely illegal, including both sales and possession. Prohibition is most common in Asia, the Middle East, and South America. Australia has a bizarre prescription-only model for vaping products, and unauthorized importation can result in huge fines. In Japan, nicotine vaping products are illegal, but heated tobacco products like IQOS are completely legal and widely used.
Some countries have outright bans on use and sales, others just ban sales, and some ban only nicotine-containing products. In many countries, the laws are ignored and black markets flourish. In others, they’re enforced (but those still have black markets too). If a country is not listed, vaping is either allowed and regulated, or there is no specific law governing e-cigarettes (as of now anyway).
This isn’t meant as a definitive legal guide for traveling vapers. If you’re visiting an unfamiliar country you should first check with an up-to-date official source like your country’s state department, or the travel bureau of the country you’re visiting.
Antigua and Barbuda Legal to use, illegal to sell
Argentina Legal to use, illegal to sell
Australia Legal to use, illegal to possess nicotine without a doctor’s prescription. Importing nicotine illegally can be punished with fines of up to $222,000. Penalties for possession vary from one state to the next, but can also be quite severe
Bangladesh Bangladesh currently has no laws or regulations specific to vaping. However, in 2021 the government announced it would update the country’s tobacco control law with an outright ban on the sales of e-cigarettes
Bhutan Legal to use, illegal to sell
Brazil Legal to use, illegal to sell
Brunei Darussalam Legal to use, illegal to sell
Cambodia Banned: illegal to use, illegal to sell
Chile Legal to use, illegal to sell (except approved medical products)
Colombia Legal to use, illegal to sell (however, the prohibition is widely disregarded)
East Timor Believed to be banned
Egypt Legal to use, illegal to sell—although the country may be on the verge of regulating vaping products
Ethiopia Believed legal to use, illegal to sell
Gambia Believed illegal to use, illegal to sell
Ghana Legal to use, illegal to sell (except when prescribed by a doctor)
Hong Kong (a Special Administrative Region of China) Legal to use, illegal to sell since 2022
India Legal to use, illegal to sell. In September 2019, the Indian central government banned sales of vaping products. The government, well aware that 100 million Indians smoke and that tobacco kills nearly a million people a year, did not make any moves to reduce access to cigarettes. Not coincidentally, the Indian government owns a large share of the country’s largest tobacco company
Iran Believed legal to use, illegal to sell
Jamaica Legal to use, illegal to sell nicotine-containing products without a medical license
Japan Legal to use, legal to sell devices and zero-nicotine e-liquid, but illegal to sell nicotine-containing liquid (although individuals can import nicotine-containing products with some restrictions). Heated tobacco products (HTPs) like IQOS are legal and extremely popular
Kuwait Believed legal to use, illegal to sell
Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Laos) Illegal to use, illegal to sell
Lebanon Legal to use, illegal to sell
Macau (a Special Administrative Region of China) Possibly legal to use, illegal to sell. On Dec. 5, 2022 a law banning the manufacture, distribution, sale, import, export, and transport in and out of Macau of all vaping products will take effect. While personal use may be technically legal, there seems to be no way to acquire products without violating the import or transport bans
Malaysia Legal to use, illegal to sell nicotine-containing products. Although consumer sales of nicotine-containing products is illegal, Malaysia has a thriving vaping market. Authorities occasionally raid retailers and confiscate products. Sales of all vaping products (even without nicotine) are banned outright in the states of Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Penang and Terengganu
Mauritius Legal to use, illegal to sell
Mexico Probably legal to use, illegal to sell. The Mexican president issued a decree banning sales of all vapes and heated tobacco products in May 2022. The law includes nicotine-free products.
Some manufacturers—including Philip Morris International and British American Tobacco—and vendors have challenged the government position in court, filing individual complaints and receiving favorable judgements. Unfortunately, these “juicio de amparo” (protection trials) apply only to the specific complainant and the decisions cannot be broadly applied by all sellers. According to Mexican vape advocate Roberto Sussman, the amparo process is difficult and expensive, especially for small businesses.
Myanmar Believed to be banned
Nepal Legal to use, possibly illegal to sell (although the government itself seems unsure)
Nicaragua Believed illegal to use, illegal to sell
North Korea (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea) Banned
Oman Believed legal to use, illegal to sell
Palau Banned: illegal to use, illegal to sell (as of May 29, 2023)
Panama Legal to use, illegal to sell
Qatar Banned: illegal to use, illegal to sell
Seychelles Legal to use, illegal to sell. However, the country announced in 2019 its intention to legalize and regulate e-cigarettes
Singapore Banned: illegal to use, illegal to sell. As of 2018, possession of vapes is a crime, punishable by fines and even prison time. However, the threat of prosecution doesn’t prevent a thriving black market
Sri Lanka Legal to use, illegal to sell
Suriname Legal to use, illegal to sell
Syria Banned: illegal to use, illegal to sell
Taiwan (Republic of China) On Jan. 12, 2023, Taiwan passed a ban on sales and use of e-cigarettes. The law will take effect 30 days after it is published by the government—probably in February.
Thailand Believed legal to use, illegal to sell. Thailand has earned a reputation for enforcing its ban on importation and sales of vaping products with several high-profile incidents in recent years, including detaining and even deporting tourists caught vaping
Timor-Leste Legal to use, illegal to sell
Turkey Legal to use, illegal to import. Importation of vaping products is illegal in Turkey, and when the country reaffirmed its ban in 2017, the World Health Organization issued a press release cheering the decision. But Turkey’s laws are conflicting, and there is a vaping market and a vaping community in Turkey
Turkmenistan Believed legal to use, illegal to sell
Uganda Legal to use, illegal to sell
United States Legal to use, legal to sell—but sales of products not authorized by the FDA became technically illegal as of Sept. 9, 2021. Although no state has banned sales of vaping products outright, many have bans on flavored products or online sales. Some California cities, notably San Francisco, have banned sales of all e-cigarettes
Uruguay Legal to use, illegal to sell
Vatican City Believed to be banned
Venezuela In August 2023, the Venezuelan health ministry banned the sale and personal use of all vaping and heated tobacco products after President Maduro ordered the ministry to evaluate the possibility of a ban
Our list is extensive, but maybe not definitive. Laws change frequently, and there is no central repository for information on worldwide vaping laws that is updated in real time. While our list includes some original research, these are the primary sources:
We welcome any new information you may have. If you know of a law that has changed, or a new regulation that affects our list, please make a comment and we will update the list.
All of these bans have to do with taxation and/or infringing on a countries government controlled tobacco business. Funny how you can get a room full of hookers in Thailand but you can’t hit a Juul without being a felon.
Vaping helped me stop smoking cigarettes 2 years ago. Why don’t they ban alcohol and cigarettes? To me, they are MUCH worse than vaping. If a person has a choice to drink booze, I should have the right to vape.
The government tried to ban alcohol in the past (1920-1933). But people didn’t care and began illegally importing and bootlegging alcohol
These e cigs have helped me and thousands of others quit smoking the real thing! So to all you anti e-cig people, Stick it!!!! IT WORKS- BETTER THAN SMOKING. TOBACCO.
You can die and kill for wall street, but you can’t choose to lower your risk of lung cancer, heart and lung disease by substituting a more healthier option. Ofc not, then how would big pharma make all of their money off of cancer and heart and lung disease? The tobacco lobby is probably showering our leaders with money begging them to ban a heathier lifestyle. You want to know why anything is banned? It never has anything to do with moral high ground but always the greedy, narcissistic, and morally grotesque reasons. When you base, back, and value your… Read more »
Hi, in this case I would like to say that we have tons and tons of vape shops in Colombia, were there is no problem in vaping, even in front of the authorities lol, and is allowed in some clubs.
Salt Nic Vapes Interesting! I’m glad vaping is allowed, but what what do the laws say?