The government’s stance on vaping and nicotine varies. In the United Kingdom, government health organizations essentially advocate vaping. Because smoking is an expensive burden on the U.K.’s National Health Service, switching to e-cigarettes has the potential to save both lives and money.
Many other countries permit a regulated vaping sector but are less enthused about the activity.
Some states in the United States have enacted taste and internet sales prohibitions in recent years. Canada followed the U.K. model but has recently implemented nicotine-strength limits and severe flavor restrictions.
More than 40 countries have some form of restriction on vaping, whether on possession and use, sales, importation, or a combination of the three. What we’ve tried to do here is compile statewise taste and internet sales restrictions in the United States, as well as sales and use bans enforced in other nations.
Bans on flavored vapes and internet sales in the U.S
The FDA is the government agency in charge of regulating vaping products. The agency began evaluating Premarket Tobacco Applications (PMTAs) in September 2020 and has stated that it would not approve flavored products unless there is compelling evidence. Federal courts may decide whether the agency successfully sets an unwritten standard that removes permissible flavored products (excluding smoke and menthol).
The majority of vape prohibitions in the United States are enacted at the state and local levels.
While a few California communities, most notably San Francisco, have outlawed the sale of all vaping goods, most American vape prohibitions concern flavors and online sales.
Arkansas restricts online sales.
Tobacco licenses provided to Arkansas businesses are only valid for face-to-face transactions, so online sales are not permitted.
California imposes a flavor prohibition (on hold until 2022)
Maine imposes a restriction on online sales.
Except between licensed firms, Maine prohibits online sales.
Massachusetts imposes a taste restriction.
New Jersey imposes a taste prohibition.
Except for tobacco, New Jersey’s ban applies to all flavors.
New York imposes a flavor prohibition and a ban on online sales.
Oregon prohibits online sales.
Rhode Island imposes a taste prohibition.
South Dakota has banned online sales.
Utah imposes a ban on online sales.
Vermont restricts online sales.
Chicago, IL, Oakland and San Jose, CA, and Boulder, CO are among the major cities having flavor restrictions. Hundreds of smaller cities and counties, especially in California, have taste prohibitions, as do several more significant places whose bans have been replaced by state restrictions (like New York City and Newark, NJ)
San Francisco and a few other California towns have outright prohibited the sale of vaping products.
Countries prohibiting the sale or use of vaping products
Vaping is fully banned in several countries. Asia, the Middle East, and South America have the highest prohibition rates. Australia has an odd prescription-only policy for vaping items, and illicit imports can result in massive fines. Nicotine vaping devices are outlawed in Japan, while heated tobacco products such as IQOS are entirely legal and widely used.
Some countries completely prohibit usage and sales, while others just prohibit sales, and yet others prohibit solely nicotine-containing items.
In many countries, regulations are disregarded, and illegal marketplaces thrive. Others have them imposed on them.
This is not intended to be a comprehensive legal advice for vapers on the road. Suppose you are visiting a foreign nation for the first time. In that case, you should consult an up-to-date official source, such as your country’s state department or the travel bureau of the country you are going.
Antigua and Barbuda
It is legal to use, but it is forbidden to sell.
Argentina
It is legal to use, but it is forbidden to sell.
Australia
Nicotine can be consumed with a doctor’s prescription.
Bangladesh
Currently, there are no laws or regulations in Bangladesh that pertain to vaping.
Bhutan
It is legal to use, but it is forbidden to sell.
Brazil
It is legal to use, but it is forbidden to sell.
Brunei Darussalam
It is legal to use, but it is forbidden to sell.
Cambodia
Banned: it is unlawful to use it, and it is prohibited to sell it.
Chile
It is legal to use, but it is forbidden to sell
Colombia
It is legal to use, but it is forbidden to sell.
Timor-Leste
It is thought to be prohibited.
Egypt
Although vaping goods are lawful to consume, they are illegal to sell—although the government may be on the verge of regulating them.
Ethiopia
It is thought to be legal to use but illegal to sell.
Gambia
It is said to be unlawful to use and prohibited to sell.
H.K.
It is legal to use but prohibited to sell. In October 2021, the Hong Kong Legislative Council imposed a ban on the sale, importation, production, and advertising of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products.
India
It is legal to use but prohibited to sell. The Indian federal government prohibited the sale of vaping items in September 2019.
Iran
permissible to use but forbidden to sell
Jamaica
It is allowed to use nicotine-containing products, but it is prohibited to sell them without a medical authorization.
Japan
It is allowed to consume and sell nicotine-free e-liquid. However it is illegal to sell nicotine-containing liquid (although individuals can import nicotine-containing products with some restrictions).
Kuwait
Permissible to use but forbidden to sell.
Laos
It’s illegal to use it, and it’s unlawful to sell it.
Lebanon
It is legal to use, but it is forbidden to sell.
Macau
It is legal to use but prohibited to sell. Imports for personal use are not currently banned, but the government seeks to change that.
Malaysia
It is allowed to use nicotine-containing goods, but it is forbidden to sell them. Even though consumer sales of nicotine-containing goods are prohibited, Malaysia has a robust vaping business. Authorities conduct raids on retailers regularly and seize merchandise. Sales of all vaping products (including those without nicotine) are explicitly prohibited in the Malaysian states of Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Penang, and Terengganu.
Mauritius
It is legal to use, but it is forbidden to sell.
Mexico
It is lawful to use, but the legality of imports and sales is being debated.
Myanmar
Prohibited
Nepal
Where smoking is permitted, it is legal to use; nevertheless, it is forbidden to sell.
Nicaragua
It is said to be unlawful to use and prohibited to sell.
North Korea
Banned
Oman
Legal to use but illegal to sell.
Panama
It is legal to use, but it is forbidden to sell.
Qatar
Banned
Seychelles
It is legal to use but prohibited to sell
Singapore
Banned: it is illegal to use and illegal to sell. Possession of vapes is a criminal in 2018, punishable by penalties and even prison sentence.
Sri Lanka
It is legal to use, but it is forbidden to sell.
Suriname
It is legal to use but not to sell.
Syria
Banned: it is unlawful to use it and it is prohibited to sell it.
Thailand
It is believed that while it was legal to use, it was forbidden to sell.
The country has a reputation for strictly enforcing its ban on the importation and sale of vaping items, as evidenced by several high-profile cases in recent years, including the detention and even deportation of vaping visitors.
Timor-Leste
It is lawful to use but forbidden to sell.
Turkey
It is permitted to use but not to import. Importing vaping items into Turkey is prohibited, and when the government reinforced its ban in 2017, the World Health Organization applauded the decision.
Turkmenistan
It is thought to be legal to use but illegal to sell.
Uganda
It is lawful to use but prohibited to sell.
United States
Lawful to use, legal to sell—but sales of non-FDA-approved products become technically banned on September 9, 2021. Although no state has outright prohibited vaping items, many have banned the sale of flavored products or internet sales. Some California communities, including San Francisco, have outlawed the sale of all e-cigarettes.
Uruguay
It is legal to use, but it is forbidden to sell.
Vatican City
Banned
Venezuela
Legal to use, but thought to be illegal to sell unless approved as medical items.