The definitive vaping destination guide

There's enough to think about and plan when going on holiday without worrying about whether you'll be free to vape or not. You may have your flip-flops and swimming shorts all packed and ready to go, but have you considered the laws and regulations in which you need to adhere to while you’re away?

As many of you will already know, the rules on vaping vary from country to country and the laws are often unclear, leaving us confused and in limbo. There are a number of countries where vaping in public is 100% permitted and there are some where the rules are unclear since no legislation has been put in place. Unfortunately, there are countries where vaping is completely banned and breaking these rules could land you with a hefty fine or even a prison sentence.

The Laws

Many of the laws that restrict electronic cigarette usage apply specifically to the manufacture, import and sale of e-cigarettes, yet some restrict use altogether.
In many cases, how strictly the law is upheld is inconsistent and uncertain. For example, it’s not uncommon for users to get ecigs through customs and use them in a country where it’s banned, without facing a penalty.
To help clear things up, we’ve created a list of locations stating whether vaping is or isn’t permitted – along with everything in between.

As of March 2020: 

100% Banned

• Argentina
• Bahrain
• Brazil
• Brunei
• Cambodia
• Colombia
• India
• Indonesia
• Jordan
• Malaysia
• Mexico
• Oman
• Panama
• Qatar
• Singapore
• South Korea
• Taiwan
• Thailand
• Turkey
• Uruguay
• Venezuela
• United Arab Emirates

Partially permitted

For those countries, whereby e-cigs and e-liquids are partially permitted, the laws, rules and regulations become a little cloudy. Often, e-cigs and their accompanying products are heavily regulated. In many cases, the use of ecigs is allowed in designated areas if used with a 0mg nicotine e-liquid. E-liquid containing nicotine can be prohibited or fall under the requirements of the Medicines Act and require a sales license, something many of these countries do not have.

• Australia
• Belgium
• Denmark
• France
• Finland
• Hong Kong
• Hungary
• Japan
• New Zealand
• Norway
• South Africa
• Sweden
• Switzerland

Permitted

In the countries whereby vaping is permitted, it’s still recommended you check for variations in the rules and regulations as some cities, states and regional areas do take a different stance on vaping. Many of these countries also deal with vaping as they do with traditional smoking. Therefore, you should always look for a dedicated smoking area.
Here is a list of countries where vaping is permitted:

• Canada
• China
• Costa Rica
• Czech Republic
• Estonia
• European Union
• Germany
• Israel
• Italy
• Ireland
• Korea Latvia
• Malta
• Netherlands
• Poland
• Russia
• Tajikistan
• Ukraine
• UK
• USA

Please note: We do recommend that you check with your travel agent before you fly just in case there have been any changes to the laws in any of these countries.
There are some countries that still do not clearly state whether vaping is or isn’t permitted, including Greece, Iran and Mauritius. If in doubt, do not take your vaping kit with you. The fines and prison time is just not worth it.
If you do find yourself in trouble, please follow these steps:

1. Assist law enforcement with any requests.
2. Find and contact the closest UK Embassy (or ask a relative to do so).
3. Notify your travel agent.