E-cigarette and vaping culture in general has taken the world by storm. Where does it stand in the face of the law? I’m going to share with you where e-cigarettes are banned. Let’s get started!
The Meaning of E-Cigarette
When we say e-cigarette, we refer to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s meaning for it. The word e-cigarette refers to products or devices that produce an aerosol by heating a liquid that usually contains nicotine.
Publicly, they are also termed or available as “e-cigs,” “e-hookahs,” “mods,” “vape pens,” “vapes,” “tank systems,” and “electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS).”
They tend to resemble regular cigarettes, cigars, or pipes. Some even look like pens and USB sticks or in the form of larger devices such as tank systems, or “mods.” Most e-cigarette parts are a battery, a heating element, and a place that contains a liquid.
Mechanism Behind E-Cigarette
An e-cigarette is often marketed as a tobacco-free nicotine delivery device. How does it work?
Instead of burning tobacco, you draw air through the device. By pressing a sensor or a power button, it turns on a battery that powers an atomizer to turn your nicotine and flavouring-containing liquid into an aerosol.
The liquid that goes with the device is commonly composed of carrier solvents like glycerol and or propylene glycol. The aerosol produced by your e-cigarette is commonly called ‘vapour.’ That’s why they are sometimes called vaporisers in some circles.
E-Cigarettes In A Global View
It is proven that the e-cigarette vapor contains fewer toxins than normal cigarettes. In fact, a lot of agencies even support it as a tool that can help those who want to quit smoking, given that some liquids are nicotine free.
However, because its effects on the youth have been sensationalized by the media and different medical organizations, e-cigarettes went straight under the watchful eye of policy makers.
There are many countries that regulate the use and sale of e-cigarettes. For us users and enthusiasts, we can’t do anything but abide by these rules.
So what is each country’s take on cigarettes? Because we are all just personal users here I’m just going to cover sales and use policies not including aspects like marketing, packaging, and taxation.
We aren’t manufacturers and dealers anyway. So, check out the table below and see if you can easily purchase and use electronic cigarettes in a particular country.
| Outright ban of all e-cigarettes with and without nicotine including importation and selling | Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia (unless with prescription), Bhutan, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Colombia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gambia, India, Iran, Jamaica, Japan, N. Korea, Kuwait, Lebanon, Mauritius, Mexico, Nepal, Nicaragua, Oman, Panama, Qatar, Seychelles, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Syria, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Uruguay, Venezuela, Palestine |
| Allow selling and use of e-cigarettes but with restrictions in venues, access, and cross border sales | Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, El Salvador, England, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Jordan, S. Korea, Laos, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Moldova, Netherlands, New Zealand, Niue, Nigeria, Northern Ireland, Norway, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Scotland, Senegal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United States, Venezuela, Vietnam and Wales |
| Allow e-cigarette sale and use but regule the amount or concentration of nicotine or other contents | Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Paraguay, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Saudi Arabia,Scotland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Wales. |
| Prohibit the sale of nicotine-containing e-cigarettes | Australia, Costa Rica, Japan, Mexico, and Sri Lanka |
| Prohibit use in public places | Palestine |
| Prohibit e-cigarette importation | Australia |
You’ve finally read an overview of the contents of the different legislations regulating e-cigarette use in various places. If the country wasn’t included in the table then they don’t have any problems with purchasing and using vape.
But honestly, there are so many conflicting and overlapping information released by different official sources. Probably because legislations keep on changing each and every time, they keep on adding and or subtracting from the clauses.
Logically what we can do is to just leave our e-cigarettes at home when a country’s stance lies negatively towards e-cigarettes.
The punishment for breaking the law is divided on a spectrum, from confiscations, paying fines, and the worst of all, imprisonment. Obviously, nobody wants any of those mentioned, right?
In Summary
As someone who loves smoking, it is difficult to keep ourselves lenient. In countries where they allow sale and personal use of e-cigarettes, they have imposed huge taxation on these products. More and more countries are now starting on planning to altogether ban e-cigarettes.
Despite the hurdle, there are always alternatives that people can count on that mimic the e-cigarette feel. Out of all the alternatives, particularly the one that is close in look and method of use is your HTPs or heated tobacco products.
They are different technology-wise but the user experience of having a hand-held device and sucking in from a mouthpiece can appease the psychological cravings of e-cigarette aficionados.
E-cigarettes are beloved all over the world. It’s quite weird to think of a time where they will be obsolete. For us, we should always campaign for our right to vape, as long as we are informed, of-age users who are respectful of non-vapers, the community, and the environment.
Do you think imposing such restrictive laws helps agencies in their agenda to stop people from smoking? Or is it counterproductive given that people will seek more of what they are deprived of? Tell us what you think.