The vaping market has come a long way since the late 2000s when it first emerged with the earliest e-cig prototypes to act as an alternative nicotine delivery system to smoking. As you may have seen for yourself over the years, vaping has proven to be an extremely controversial industry, even here in the United States, where the FDA has been found to be less than enthusiastic about its existence.
Vaping laws have changed a lot since the market first debuted well over a decade ago and continue to transform along with the industry itself. And, it may surprise you just how many countries are firmly against vaping, enacting laws that highly restrict or outright ban vaping products.
Countries That Ban Vaping Product Sales or Use
First, let’s take a look at restrictions on vaping products within the United States, as they have changed quite a bit in the last few years.
Vaping Restrictions in the United States
- Arkansas: In Arkansas, online sales of vaping products are deemed illegal.
- California: California has banned in-store sales of flavored vaping products (other than tobacco-flavored), although flavored products can be purchased and sold online in the state.
- Georgia: Georgia has made online sales of vaping products illegal.
- Maine: Online sales of vaping products are illegal in Maine, with the exception of business-to-business sales.
- Massachusetts: All vape flavors except for tobacco are banned in Massachusetts.
- New Jersey: New Jersey has enacted a statewide ban on flavored vaping products, except for tobacco and menthol.
- New York: New York bans all flavored vaping products, and online sales of vaping products are illegal.
- Oregon: Online sales of vaping products are prohibited in Oregon.
- Rhode Island: All flavored vape products except for tobacco are illegal in Rhode Island.
- South Dakota: Vape products may not be sold or purchased online in South Dakota.
- Utah: Online sales of vaping products are strictly illegal in Utah, except for transactions between businesses.
- Vermont: Online sales of vaping products are illegal in Vermont, with the exception of business-to-business transactions.
Now, let’s take a look at vaping laws in other countries. Which countries have banned or heavily restricted vaping products?
- Antigua and Barbuda: Sales of vaping products are illegal, but people may use vaping products.
- Argentina: Sales of vaping products are illegal, but people may use vaping products.
- Australia: Possessing vaping products without a doctor’s prescription is illegal.
- Bangladesh: Bangladesh announced in 2021 that it would ban sales of vaping products, but it has not yet.
- Bhutan: Sales of vaping products are illegal, but people may use vaping products.
- Brazil: Sales of vaping products are illegal, but people may use vaping products.
- Brunei Darussalam: Sales of vaping products are illegal, but people may use vaping products.
- Cambodia: Sales of vaping products are illegal, and using vaping products is also illegal.
- Chile: Sales of vaping products are illegal, but people may use vaping products.
- Colombia: Sales of vaping products are illegal, but people may use vaping products.
- East Timor: Sales of vaping products are illegal, and using vaping products is also illegal.
- Egypt: Sales of vaping products are illegal, but people may use vaping products.
- Ethiopia: Sales of vaping products are illegal, but people may use vaping products.
- Gambia: Sales of vaping products are illegal, and using vaping products is also illegal.
- Hong Kong: Sales of vaping products are illegal, but people may use vaping products.
- India: Sales of vaping products are illegal, but people may use vaping products.
- Iran: Sales of vaping products are illegal, but people may use vaping products.
- Jamaica: Sales of vaping products are illegal without a medical license, but people may use vaping products.
- Japan: Sales of vaping products are restricted, but people may use vaping products. Companies may only sell devices and e-liquids containing zero nicotine.
- Kuwait: Sales of vaping products are illegal, but people may use vaping products.
- Laos: Sales of vaping products are illegal, and using vaping products is also illegal.
- Lebanon: Sales of vaping products are illegal, but people may use vaping products.
- Macau: Sales of vaping products are illegal, but people may use vaping products.
- Malaysia: Sales of vaping products are illegal, but people may use vaping products.
- Mauritius: Sales of vaping products are illegal, but people may use vaping products.
- Mexico: Sales of vaping products are illegal, but people may use vaping products.
- Myanmar: Sales of vaping products are illegal, and using vaping products is also illegal.
- Nepal: Sales of vaping products are possibly illegal, but people may use vaping products.
- Nicaragua: Sales of vaping products are illegal, and using vaping products is also illegal.
- North Korea: Sales of vaping products are illegal, and using vaping products is also illegal.
- Oman: Sales of vaping products are illegal, but people may use vaping products.
- Panama: Sales of vaping products are illegal, but people may use vaping products.
- Qatar: Sales of vaping products are illegal, and using vaping products is also illegal.
- Seychelles: Sales of vaping products are illegal, but people may use vaping products.
- Singapore: Sales of vaping products are illegal, and using vaping products is also illegal. In Singapore, possession can be punishable by jailtime.
- Sri Lanka: Sales of vaping products are illegal, but people may use vaping products.
- Suriname: Sales of vaping products are illegal, but people may use vaping products.
- Syria: Sales of vaping products are illegal, and using vaping products is also illegal.
- Taiwan: Sales of vaping products are illegal, and using vaping products is also illegal.
- Thailand: Sales of vaping products are illegal, but people may use vaping products.
- Timor-Leste: Sales of vaping products are illegal, but people may use vaping products.
- Turkey: The importation of vaping products is illegal, but people may use vaping products.
- Turkmenistan: Sales of vaping products are illegal, but people may use vaping products.
- Uganda: Sales of vaping products are illegal, but people may use vaping products.
- Uruguay: Sales of vaping products are illegal, but people may use vaping products.
- Vatican City: Sales of vaping products are illegal, and using vaping products is also illegal.
- Venezuela: Sales of vaping products are illegal unless approved as medical products, but people may use vaping products.
Now You Know
When it comes to vaping laws, you can clearly see that they vary a lot depending on the country you’re in. If you plan on traveling to another country soon, please check up on the laws in your destination to be fully sure that you understand the laws as well as possible, to avoid any kinds of penalties. When it comes to laws in other countries, it’s always better to be safe than sorry.