Vaping FAQs

is vaping considered smoking by law uk

by Miss Connie Mann II Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago
image

Vaping is currently legal in the UK, but with various restrictions. The key points are: You are prohibited from vaping in any non-smoking area.

For clarity, e-cigarettes and vape kits are not subjected to the same laws as traditional cigarettes. The ban on smoking in the workplace or public areas does not apply to vaping, but this doesn't allow you to vape anywhere you like.

Full Answer

Is it legal to vape in the UK?

Vaping is currently legal in the UK, but with various restrictions. The key points are: You are prohibited from vaping in any non-smoking area. This includes pubs, clubs, offices, restaurants, trains and most other public spaces. Many of these places will allow vaping outside, but it’s up to the establishment to decide.

Is it legal to vape in a club?

Vaping is just one of many personal activities that aren’t permitted. Vaping is commonly prohibited on mass transit due to the concerns of vapour dispersal in tightly enclosed public spaces. Many clubs with private membership prohibit vaping out of consideration of their other members.

Is vaping considered smoking for insurance purposes?

Is vaping considered smoking for insurance purposes since they are lower in toxins than tradition tobacco cigarettes? The short answer is no.

What is the prevalence of vaping in the UK?

Vaping prevalence was lower than smoking prevalence across all groups and continues to be around 6% (between 5.5% and 6.3%), equating to about 2.7 million adult vapers in England. There was some variation in vaping prevalence by socio-demographic groups and smoking status.

What are the UK vaping laws?

Where are you prohibited from vaping?

What are the vaping product restrictions?

Where can you vape?

See 1 more

About this website

image

Is vaping classed as smoking UK?

No, vaping is not classed as smoking. E-cigarettes aren't the same as conventional cigarettes because they don't contain tobacco, and they aren't burned to produce smoke. Do smoking laws and restrictions apply to vaping? Smoking laws and restrictions do not officially apply to e-cigarettes or heated tobacco.

Does vaping count as a smoker?

On the whole, yes. Most insurance providers will class vaping as the same as smoking.

What are the rules on vaping in the UK?

require nicotine-containing products or their packaging to be child-resistant and tamper evident. ban certain ingredients including colourings, caffeine and taurine. include new labelling requirements and warnings. require all e-cigarettes and e-liquids be notified and published by the MHRA before they can be sold.

Is vaping the same as smoking in the house?

When tobacco products are smoked inside homes, substances including nicotine settle onto surfaces and form toxic thirdhand smoke. Similarly, when vaping happens inside, aerosol containing nicotine settles on surfaces and leaves behind a toxic residue much like tobacco products.

Do I have to tell my doctor I vape?

Whether that was a few clove cigarettes every weekend in college, inhaling hookah a few times a year, marijuana, vaping or using cigarettes, it all falls under the umbrella of “smoking,” and it's important for your doctor to know if you're smoking now or have in the past.

What happens if you get caught with a vape UK?

It isn't technically illegal for you to carry an e-cigarette but if you are caught in public the police can confiscate it from you. They are allowed to do this under the age of 16 in England and Wales or under 18 in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Is vaping worse than smoking?

1: Vaping is less harmful than smoking, but it's still not safe. E-cigarettes heat nicotine (extracted from tobacco), flavorings and other chemicals to create an aerosol that you inhale. Regular tobacco cigarettes contain 7,000 chemicals, many of which are toxic.

What is the law on vaping?

You must be 18 or over to buy e-cigarettes or e-liquids in the UK. It is also illegal for vape adverts to include models who appear to be under the age of 25. These measures are in place to prevent children from taking up vaping.

Is vaping under 18 illegal UK?

In the UK, you must be 18 years old or above to use and purchase vaping products. This also includes vaping products that are 0mg/nicotine free. Retailers found to be selling vaping products to those, underage, can face harsh fines.

Is vaping legal for 16 year olds in the UK?

The legal vaping age in the UK is 18, with or without nicotine. To purchase e-cigarettes and vaping liquids, you must be 18. Although you can buy vaping products without nicotine (zero-free nicotine), the highly addictive substance in vapes, it is still illegal to purchase and use vaping products under the age of 18.

Can a 13 year old vape UK?

The legal vaping age in the UK is 18. You must be 18 years of age to purchase e-cigarettes or e-liquids from any UK vape shop or online store.

What is the legal age to vape in the UK 2022?

18Age of sale It is illegal to sell vaping products to anyone aged under 18 and to buy vaping products for anyone under 18. There is a loophole in the legislation allowing free samples of vaping products to be given to people of any age.

Aim of the report

This is the seventh report in a series of independent reports commissioned by Public Health England (PHE) to summarise evidence on vaping products...

Methods

The report uses 2 surveys for information on vaping and smoking among young people in England: The Action on Smoking and Health Smokefree Great Bri...

Vaping among young people

Main findingsData reported in this chapter were collected in September 2019 (from the ITC Youth survey) and in March 2020 (from the ASH-Youth surve...

Vaping among adults

Main findingsData reported in this chapter came from 4 different surveys. Most data were from the STS, collected between January and October 2020,...

Effect of vaping on smoking cessation and reduction

Main findingsThe following are the main findings from nationally representative survey data (STS). Using a vaping product is the most popular aid u...

Authors and citation

Suggested citationMcNeill, A., Brose, L.S., Calder, R., Simonavicius, E. and Robson, D. (2021). Vaping in England: An evidence update including vap...

What is the Legal Age to Vape in the UK? | Vape Superstore

Here is what happens when you open an account or attempt to make a purchase on our website. As per the UK law banning the sale of e-cigarettes, disposables and e-liquids to under 18s, we do a little prompting. Our age verification process will ask you for your date of birth. We use a leading credit reference agency to verify the age you entered against any registered details you might have ...

Vaping in England: 2021 evidence update summary - GOV.UK

We use some essential cookies to make this website work. We’d like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services.

Is it OK to vape under age? | Childline

Hi, I'm just wandering if it's OK to have possession of an e-cigarette if your under 16. I have a friend who has one. We are both 13 (y9). he doesn't pressure me or anything, but I really want to try it just to see what it's like.

What are the UK laws on vaping? - GoSmokeFree.co.uk Guide

WARNING: Our products contain nicotine and nicotine is addictive. Vaping products are only for the use of adults aged over 18, should be kept away from children and are not suitable for those who are pregnant, currently breastfeeding or anyone with health issues.These products are meant as an alternative to traditional tobacco cigarettes for existing smokers and are not designed as a device to ...

What are the restrictions on vaping in the UK?

Vaping is currently legal in the UK, but with various restrictions. The key points are:

Why can't people vape indoors?

The logic is that people shouldn’t vape indoors because other people don’t like it. This is just one of the ways in which public health policy is becoming less democratic. It used to be that if there were two or three smokers in a restaurant, they could smoke if they didn’t bother anyone else; now it seems smokers can’t smoke even when they are all alone.

Does vaping help with tinnitus?

Vaping has been known to help users with Tinnitus by reducing the perceived noise that is said to be caused by this condition. Vaping can also improve wellness by increasing blood circulation and lowering blood pressure. T

Is vaping harmful?

Benefits of vaping are many. The biggest benefit is that, although it is considered a harmful alternative to smoking tobacco, the truth is that it does not cause any direct harm. It can however cause some indirect harm for pregnant women and children. When these two groups of people avoid vaping, they will be able to avoid the secondary side effects of smoking. As more and more people switch from smoking to vaping, the benefits of vaping will become more and more obvious and the risks associated with it less significant.

Is vaping legal indoors?

There is currently no nationwide ban on vaping indoors, although some employers may enforce their own ban. These bans are usually specific to the building or premises rather than the individual business, so you may be allowed to vape in one shop or bar owned by the same company but not another.

How many high school students use e-cigarettes?

This policy was put into place once statistics have shown that over 3.5 million middle and high school students were regularly using vaporizers and e-cigarettes. Out of those 3.5 million, over 3 million used fruit-flavoured products and claimed the flavour was the reason why they were using the products.

Is e-cigarette available to youth?

As you can probably see, most countries around the world are aiming to make e-cigar ettes, vaporizers and other ENDS non-available and non-appealing to youth. As far as grown-ups are concerned, what they do is entirely up to them.

Can You Sell And Advertise Vaporizers And E-Liquids To Minors?

Seeing how FDA published a rule saying vapes are tobacco-derived products, selling and advertising to minors is forbidden by the law. Also, in early 2022, FDA also issues an enforcement policy on unauthorized cartridge flavouring that appeal to kids and minors. This policy stated that all manufacturers are to stop producing and selling all flavoured cartridge-based e-cigarettes and other ENDS within 30 days or they would risk enforcement actions from the FDA.

Do The Same Laws And Rules Apply Outside of the US?

No . There are different laws in place in different counties. For instance, in Canada, you are still legally allowed to produce, sell and use fruit-flavoured vaporizing liquids and according to DashVapes, the fruit-flavoured e-liquids are still the most popular out of all available flavours. To be fair, there were some changes regarding flavours, but it was mostly limited to changes in branding and naming, to make it less appealing to children.

Is smoking cigarettes the same as vaping?

Is smoking cigarettes the same as vaping? If you were to ask a regular smoker or someone that vapes, you would probably get the exact same answer from both of them – a resounding no. Both regular smokers and vapers agree on the fact that what they do isn’t the same and that the only thing that’s common is the fact that they both seem to enjoy nicotine.

Is vaping the same as smoking?

Well, the answer to that question isn’t that simple. You see, in the eyes of law, vaping and smoking are kind of one and the same. Vaping products are in great majority considered to be “tobacco” or “tobacco-derived” products. So, what does this all mean in practice?

Can you smoke a vaporizer in Canada?

That means you can’t pull out your device and start using it in any place where smoking is restricted. On the other hand, if you’re a passionate smoker and you’re looking for a healthier alternative to cigarettes – vaporizers might come in handy.

What are the UK vaping laws?

Vaping laws can be separated into two categories: rules for vapers, and rules for vaping manufacturers and retailers. The laws pertaining to e-cigarette production are clear and highly controlled. In stark comparison, the laws surrounding where you are allowed to vape in public in the UK are everchanging and likely will continue to do so. Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about the UK’s vaping laws.

Where are you prohibited from vaping?

While public vaping is generally permitted, here are some examples of locations that commonly do not permit vaping on their premises.

What are the vaping product restrictions?

These regulations have been introduced in order to ensure safety and quality of e-cigarettes, providing vapers with greater certainty regarding the products that they buy.

Where can you vape?

The places you’re allowed to vape follow a lot of the same rules as traditional smoking , although they don’t share the same legislation.

When will England go smoke free?

A government consultation in 2019 outlined a new ambition to go smokefree in England by 2030. It also included an ultimatum to industry to make smoked tobacco obsolete by 2030, with smokers quitting or moving to reduced risk nicotine delivery systems, such as vaping products.

What is vaping product?

The term ‘vaping products’ describes e-cigarettes and refill containers and e-liquids.

How much nicotine do 16 year olds use?

The most common nicotine strength used by 16 to 19 year olds who had vaped in the past 30 days was under 20 milligrams per millilitre (mg/mL) (54.0%). One-fifth (19.6%) of participants did not know the strength of their vaping liquid, 18.0% used a strength of 20mg/mL or over, and 6.6% used 40mg/mL or over.

What is the EU exit regulation?

The government has introduced new regulations, The Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020, to make sure the UK meets its obligations in relation to tobacco control and vaping product policies under the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020.

How many people use vaping in 2020?

Using a vaping product is the most popular aid used by people trying to quit smoking. In 2020, 27.2% of people used a vaping product in a quit attempt in the previous 12 months. This compares with 15.5% who used NRT over the counter or on prescription (2.7%), and 4.4% who used varenicline.

How much vaping is there in 2020?

little change in levels of vaping over the last few years with current vaping (at least once per month) prevalence being 4.8% in March 2020, the same as in March 2019

When was the last vaping evidence report published?

This report covers the latest evidence on prevalence and characteristics of vaping in young people and adults in England, with a particular focus on data emerging since the last vaping evidence report published in early 2020.

Which states have no smoking laws?

States such as Connecticut, Delaware, Maine and New Jersey have passed laws specifically including e-cigarettes in existing no-smoking restrictions, including those covering bars and restaurants. Moreover, many local laws throughout the United States also place specific restrictions on e-cigarette use. As of January 2016, 475 counties and cities ...

Which states have e-cigarettes?

Researchers found that several states—including Colorado, Hawaii, Minnesota, North Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, West Virginia and Wyoming, as well as the District of Columbia— had all passed at least one provision formally declaring e-cigarettes to be “tobacco” or “tobacco-derived” products.

Is nicotine in e-cigarettes harmful?

According to some advocates, the poisons in the tobacco plant are the real danger and the nicotine in e-cigs is relatively harmless at low doses. Nonetheless, arguments by the likes of the American Nonsmokers Rights Foundation (ANRF) do seem to be ruling the day.

How should employers approach vaping at work?

Ideally, therefore, you should implement a clear workplace policy, in writing, setting out the rules relating to both tobacco and e-cigarette smoking onsite, including the potential disciplinary consequences of any breach of these rules.

Is it safe to smoke e-cigarettes?

While debate continues about the level of safety of e-cigarettes, as the long-term impact of their use on people’s health remains inconclusive, they are generally considered to be safer for users than smoked tobacco. There is also very little evidence of harm to bystanders from exposure to e-cigarette vapour, where any health risks from passive vaping are likely to be low.

Is it OK to vape at work?

Whether or not it is acceptable to vape at work will depend on any prohibition or restrictions put in place by your employer. Vaping in the workplace is not illegal, although many organisations will limit this to designated outside areas.

Can I be sacked for vaping at work?

If vaping at work is banned, or limited to designated areas, any unauthorised use of vaping devices, such as outside of normal rest breaks or in prohibited areas, could potentially result in disciplinary action, including dismissal.

Can you vape in the workplace UK?

In the UK, vaping in the workplace is a matter of discretion for the employer, although many organisations treat the use of e-cigarettes much in the same way as smoking, by only allowing this in designated outside areas.

Is it illegal to vape in a business?

It is not illegal, of itself, to vape on business premises. This is because e-cigarettes fall outside the legal definition of ‘smoking’ set out under the UK’s smoke-free legislation. However, some organisations may still ban vaping onsite.

Can you be disciplinary for vaping at work?

Still, any disciplinary action taken against an employee for vaping at work must be fair. This means that the employee must be made aware of any prohibition or restriction on vaping, either through clear warnings or a written workplace policy. For example, if your organisation already has a smoking policy, but it doesn’t reference electronic cigarettes, employees may be confused about whether vaping at work is covered. As such, the language within that policy will need to be revised. Your workforce should also be informed of any changes to a workplace policy before they take effect, providing reasonable notice of these changes.

Is e-cigarette the same as traditional cigarettes?

Based on the FDA’s definition, traditional cigarettes and e-cigarettes are in the same category. Insurance companies also take that into consideration and treat you the same as traditional smokers. This typically translates into you receiving higher insurance rates than non-smokers for your health and life insurance policies.

Does insurance raise premiums for vaping?

Although most insurance companies will raise your insurance premium regardless of if you are smoking or vaping, there are some carriers that provide rate relief for vaping. Check your state insurance department to find out which carriers view vaping favorably. EINSURANCE.com is an online insurance comparison website.

Is Vaping Considered Smoking for Insurance Purposes?

However, some studies show that smokers who use them are actually less likely to quit. Hence the question: is vaping considered smoking for insurance purposes, given electronic alternatives contain lower toxins than traditional tobacco cigarettes?

Why is it important to stay compliant with vaping laws?

Staying compliant and up-to-date on all vaping laws is essential to avoid trouble with law enforcement. If you are facing charges for vaping underage or trying to buy a product, a lawyer who understands e-cigarette laws and their nuances can help.

Where is smoking banned?

Use banned at childcare buildings, playgrounds, schools, and everywhere smoking is also banned ( Section 70.345.150 and 110-300-0420 (2) ). Banned at most colleges and universities in their regulations and in state-run veteran’s homes except for designated areas ( Section 484-20-090 (1) (h) ).

What age can you buy a vape?

Furthermore, while federal law allows 18-year-olds to purchase tobacco products, some states put the minimum age at 21. Pay close attention to your state’s evolving laws to avoid conflict while purchasing or using e-cigarettes.

Where are tobacco substitutes banned?

Banned at childcare centers, after school activities ( Section 33-3504 (a) ), and on public school grounds or at school events ( Section 16-140 ).

How old do you have to be to buy e-cigarettes?

Must be 19 years old to buy from a store or distributor ( Section 76-10-104 (1)) and must be 18 years old to buy or have e-cigarettes ( Section 76-10-105 (1) ). The exception is active military members over age 18 or anyone accompanied by a parent ( Section 26-62-205 ).

Is vaping banned in Hawaii?

E-cigarettes and vaping banned in the same places as smoking ( Section 328J-1 ). Use banned in all parks and at all University of Hawaii properties ( Section 304A-122 (a) ). Purchase requires an ID even if using a mail order delivery service ( Section 245-17 (b) ).

Is smoking banned in prison?

Use banned the same places smoking is banned ( Section 23-20.10-2 (19)) with some exceptions. Banned at all correctional facilities, including vehicles and properties ( Section 240-20-1.6 (D) and 1.16 (D) ).

Vaping in public areas

Currently, there are no legal restrictions on vaping in public areas, but there are local laws in force that prohibit vaping. Many public places and establishments have applied customised rules.

Vaping in the car

Technically, vaping whilst driving is not breaking any laws. What does appear to be problematic is the exhaled vapour which could obstruct the drivers' view. If pulled over and charged for this offence, a hefty fine and up to nine points on your licence will be the result of driving without due care and attention.

Product restrictions

In 2017 the Tobacco & Related Products Regulations (TRPR) came into law in the UK. This changed some of the rules around vaping products and policies.

Vaping on public transport

There are no regulations or guidelines that prohibit vaping in different forms of public transport. Still, most train and bus companies have implemented policies prohibiting vaping on the bus or train, platforms and stations. When it comes to vaping onboard planes, the restrictions are far more stringent.

Vaping in pubs and bars

The vast majority of pubs treat vaping the same way they would smoking and ask their customers to adhere to these rules. Some pubs do allow e-cigarette use, but not all of them.

Vaping age restrictions

A person who wishes to purchase c-cigarettes/e-liquids must be 18 years or over. It is illegal for any advertising to include models who may appear to be under the age of 25 years. Steps were put in place to protect and discourage children from taking up vaping or smoking.

What are the UK vaping laws?

Vaping laws can be separated into two categories: rules for vapers, and rules for vaping manufacturers and retailers. The laws pertaining to e-cigarette production are clear and highly controlled. In stark comparison, the laws surrounding where you are allowed to vape in public in the UK are everchanging and likely will continue to do so. Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about the UK’s vaping laws.

Where are you prohibited from vaping?

While public vaping is generally permitted, here are some examples of locations that commonly do not permit vaping on their premises.

What are the vaping product restrictions?

These regulations have been introduced in order to ensure safety and quality of e-cigarettes, providing vapers with greater certainty regarding the products that they buy.

Where can you vape?

The places you’re allowed to vape follow a lot of the same rules as traditional smoking , although they don’t share the same legislation.

image
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9