Official attitudes toward vaping and nicotine use in general vary widely. In the United Kingdom, vaping is essentially encouraged by government health agencies. Because smoking creates a costly burden for the U.K.’s National Health Service, the country stands to save money if smokers switch to e-cigarettes instead. Most other countries also allow a regulated vaping market, but are less enthusiastic in their endorsement of the practice. In the U.S., the FDA has authority over vapor products, but has spent the last eight years trying to create a working regulatory system. Canada has somewhat followed the U.K. model, but as in America, its provinces are free to make their own rules that sometimes conflict with the goals of the federal government. There are more than 40 countries that have some type of ban on vaping — either use, sales or importation, or a combination. Some have complete bans that make vaping illegal, including prohibition of both sales and possession. Prohibition is most common in Asia, the Middle East, and South America, although the most famous nicotine ban belongs to Australia. Some countries are confusing. For example, vaping in Japan is legal and products are sold, except e-liquid with nicotine, which is illegal. But heat-not-burn tobacco products like IQOS are completely legal and widely used. It’s difficult to track all the changes in vaping laws. What we have attempted here is a rundown on the countries that have bans or serious restrictions on vaping or vapor products. There are brief explanations. This isn’t meant as a travel guide or tips on vaping and flying. If you’re visiting an unfamiliar country you should check with an up-to-date and reliable source like your country’s embassy, or the travel bureau of the country you’re visiting.

Why do countries ban vaping?

The World Health Organization (WHO) and its tobacco control arm the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) — a global treaty signed by more than 180 countries — have encouraged restrictions and bans on e-cigarettes since the earliest products began arriving on European and U.S. shores in 2007. The WHO is a powerful (and often the most powerful) influence on health and smoking policies in many countries — especially in poorer countries, where the WHO funds programs that employ many public health professionals. The FCTC itself is steered by advisers from private American anti-smoking organizations like the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids — even though the U.S. is not a party to the treaty. Because these groups have fought tooth and nail against vaping and other tobacco harm reduction products, their positions have been taken up by the FCTC, with dire results for smokers in many countries. The FCTC has advised its members (most countries) to ban or harshly regulate e-cigarettes, despite the treaty’s founding document listing harm reduction as a desirable strategy for tobacco control. Most countries depend on tobacco sales, and especially cigarette sales, for tax revenue. In some cases, government officials are honest about their choice to ban or restrict vaping products to preserve tobacco income. Often governments choose to include vapes in their tobacco products regulation, which makes it simpler to impose punitive taxes on consumers. For example, when Indonesia imposed a 57 percent tax on e-cigarettes, a finance ministry official explained that the purpose of the levy was “to limit the consumption of vapes.” Public vaping in most countries is restricted like smoking cigarettes, very much like in the United States. If you’re wondering if you can vape in public, you can usually spot another vaper or smoker and ask (or gesture) what the laws are. When in doubt, just don’t do it. Where vaping is illegal, you had better be sure the laws won’t be enforced before you start puffing.

Where are vapor products banned or restricted?

Our list is extensive, but maybe not definitive. Laws change regularly, and although communication between advocacy organizations is improving, there is still no central repository for information on vaping laws around the world. Our list comes from a combination of sources: the Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction report from British harm reduction advocacy organization Knowledge-Action-Change, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids’ Tobacco Control Laws website, and the Global Tobacco Control site created by Johns Hopkins University researchers. The status of some countries was determined by original research. Some of these countries have outright bans on use and sales, most just ban sales, and some ban only nicotine or nicotine-containing products. In many countries, the laws are ignored. In others, they’re enforced. Again, check with a reliable source before traveling to any country with vaping gear and e-liquid. 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). We welcome any new information. 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.

The Americas

Antigua and Barbuda

Legal to use, illegal to sell Argentina

Legal to use, illegal to sell Brazil

Legal to use, illegal to sell Chile

Illegal to sell, except approved medical products Colombia

Legal to use, illegal to sell Mexico

Legal to use, illegal to import or sell. In February 2020, Mexican president issued a decree banning the import of all vaping products, including zero-nicotine products. There is, however, still a thriving vaping community in the country, and advocacy leadership by consumer group Pro-Vapeo Mexico. It isn’t yet known if the government will attempt to seize products brought into the country by visitors Nicaragua

Banned: illegal to use, illegal to sell nicotine Panama

Legal to use, illegal to sell nicotine, illegal to buy or import devices or nicotine online Suriname

Legal to use, illegal to sell United States

Legal to use, legal to sell — but sales of products produced after Aug.8, 2016 are prohibited without a marketing order from the FDA. No vaping company has applied for a marketing order yet. On Sept. 9, 2020, the pre-2016 products that have not received marketing approval will also be illegal to sell Uruguay

Legal to use, illegal to sell nicotine Venezuela

Legal to use, illegal to sell, except approved medical products

Africa

Ethiopia

Legal to use, illegal to sell Gambia

Banned: illegal to use, illegal to sell Mauritius

Legal to use, illegal to sell Seychelles

Legal to use, illegal to sell Uganda

Legal to use, illegal to sell

Asia

Bhutan

Legal to use, illegal to sell Brunei

Legal to use, illegal to sell Cambodia

Banned: illegal to use, illegal to sell East Timor

Believed to be banned India

In September 2019, the Indian central government banned sales of vaping products outright. 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 30 percent of the country’s largest tobacco company Japan

Legal to use, legal to sell devices, illegal to sell nicotine-containing liquid. In Japan, vape products are less common than heat-not-burn products North Korea

Believed to be banned Malaysia

Although consumer sales of nicotine-containing products is illegal, Malaysia has a thriving vaping market. Authorities have occasionally raided retailers and confiscated products Myanmar

Believed to be banned, based on an August 2020 article Nepal

Legal to use, illegal to sell Singapore

Banned: illegal to use, illegal to sell. As of last year, possession is also a crime, punishable by fines of up to $1,500 (US) Sri Lanka

Legal to use, illegal to sell Thailand

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 vaping tourists for “importation.” The government is reportedly reconsidering its harsh e-cigarette rules Turkmenistan

Banned: illegal to use, illegal to sell Turkey

Legal to use, illegal to import or sell. Sale and importation of vaping products is illegal in Turkey, and when the country reaffirmed its ban in 2017, the WHO issued a press release cheering the decision. But the laws are conflicting, and there is a vaping market and community of vapers in Turkey

Australia

Legal to use, illegal to sell nicotine. In Australia, possessing or selling nicotine is illegal without a doctor’s prescription, but except in one state (Western Australia) vaping devices are legal to sell. For that reason there is a thriving vaping market despite the law. Penalties for possession vary from one state to the next, but can be quite severe

Europe

Vatican City

Believed to be banned

The Middle East

Bahrain

Legal to use, illegal to sell Egypt

Legal to use, illegal to sell—although the country appears to be on the verge of regulating vaping products Iran

Believed to be legal to use, definitely illegal to sell Jordan

Illegal to use, believed illegal to sell Lebanon

Believed legal to use, definitely illegal to sell Oman

Believed legal to use, definitely illegal to sell Qatar

Banned: illegal to use, illegal to sell

Use caution and do some research!

Again, if you’re visiting a country you’re unsure about, please check with sources in that country about the laws and what may be tolerated by authorities. If you’re heading to one of the countries in which possession of vapes is illegal – especially in Middle Eastern countries – think twice about how determined you are to vape, because you could face severe consequences. Most of the world welcomes vapers nowadays, but some planning and research could keep your pleasant trip from turning into a nightmare.