Vaping FAQs

what age is vaping legal in uk

by Isidro Casper Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago
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18 years old or above

How old do you have to be to vape in the UK?

You must be 18 or over to use or purchase e-cigarettes or e-liquids in the UK. The UK government updated the laws on the sale of tobacco and vaping products on 1st of October 2015. This made it illegal for e-cigarette retailers to sell vaping products to anyone under the age of 18.

Is it illegal to vape under 18 in the US?

This made it illegal for e-cigarette retailers to sell vaping products to anyone under the age of 18. It also made it illegal for someone 18 or over to purchase vaping products on the behalf of anyone underage. How does the legal age to vape differ to traditional cigarettes?

What is the law on vaping and e-cigarettes?

Vaping and e-cigarettes come under the same law as smoking. This law says that it's illegal to sell any tobacco products to someone under 18. It's also illegal for someone else to buy them for you if you are under 18.

Can you buy e-cigarettes at any age in the UK?

When vaping was first introduced to the UK, there was no legislation in place to prevent people of any age purchasing e-cigarettes. However, after trying frantically to keep up with the pace of change, the government has put laws in place to limit their sales to those who are considered to be minors.

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Can I have a vape at 16 in UK?

You must be 18 or over to use or purchase e-cigarettes or e-liquids in the UK. The UK government updated the laws on the sale of tobacco and vaping products on 1st of October 2015. This made it illegal for e-cigarette retailers to sell vaping products to anyone under the age of 18.

Is it legal for a 14 year old to vape?

While the sale and possession of any products that contain nicotine to anyone under 18 are illegal, minors can possess nicotine-free vape pens. Many schools ban the possession of all vape pens and accessories.

How old do you have to be to vape in UK 2022?

18The minimum age for buying any nicotine or tobacco-containing product is 18. This includes related products such as vape devices, coils, atomizers, vape juice, or heated tobacco products. It is also illegal for adults to buy – or be found attempting to buy – tobacco or vaping products for anyone 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 do I do if I catch my kid vaping?

If your child is caught vaping or admits to vaping, try to stay calm and non-judgmental. Listen, don't lecture....Invite your child to talk, be patient and ready to listen.Try to understand their feelings.Avoid showing judgment.Keep asking questions and check to make sure you understand.

Can a 13 year old have a nicotine free vape?

It would be illegal for someone to sell you e-cigarettes, vape liquid or normal cigarettes at the age of 13. 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.

How old can u vape?

18The short answer is no; anyone under the age of 18 cannot legally purchase any vaping equipment, including eliquids and devices, therefore should not be able to vape before this age.

How do you tell your parents you vape?

Be honest.Offer details. Explain when and how you started smoking and how much you smoke. For instance, "Well, it started last spring when I was really stressed out. ... Speak calmly. Use a concerned tone and look your parents in the eye. Try not to sound defiant or argumentative.

Is it OK for a 13 year old to vape?

A: The federal minimum age to purchase e-cigarette products is 18, but the laws vary by state – 49 states have set a minimum age that is older than 18. Unfortunately, the majority of underage vaping users are still getting the products from local gas stations or areas in their community that sell the products.

Should I punish my kid for vaping?

Now that you are aware of the hazards brought by e-cigarettes, you have every right to punish your teen for vaping. It does not matter if they are only using it for recreational purposes. Vaping is still addictive and damaging. Some ways to punish your child are scolding and grounding them.

How many kids vape UK?

New figures from NHS Digital show a decrease in numbers of school children taking drugs and smoking cigarettes but a rise in vaping, with 9% of 11 to 15 year olds currently using e-cigarettes.

What happens if you vape at 11?

Nicotine exposure during the teenage years can harm brain development, which continues until about age 25. It can impact learning, memory and attention, and increase risk for future addiction to other drugs. Young people who use e-cigarettes may be more likely to go on to use regular cigarettes.

Is vaping legal for under 18?

Prohibits the sale of vaping products including non-nicotine vape liquid and toy vaping products to anyone under the age of 18 years. Prohibits the supply of vaping products directly or indirectly to anyone under the age of 18 years.

Is vaping illegal in UK?

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.

Is 50 mg illegal in the UK?

In the United Kingdom, it is not illegal for individuals to have possession of nicotine at concentrations of 50mg and over but is illegal for businesses to sell 50mg to UK consumers. This is governed by the TPD that limits the maximum nicotine concentration permitted to be sold into the UK market to 20mg.

Can anyone buy vape in the UK?

You must be 18 years old to buy vaping products in England. Buying vape products for anyone under the age of 18 is also illegal.

WHAT IS THE LEGAL AGE TO VAPE IN THE 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.

When did the UK legalize e-liquid?

In 2015, the UK government updated its laws on the sales of cigarettes and tobacco products to include e-liquid.

Why is Scott Gottlieb against vaping?

A big part of Scott Gottlieb’s argument for shutting down candy or sweet-flavoured e-liquids is that the packaging and branding “attracts teens”. This directly contradicts PHE’s reports: Vaping is not a gateway to smoking.

Should teens vape when they never smoke?

The fact that no teen should ever be vaping nicotine when they never smoked. Honestly, we don’t really think they should be vaping that young, but we can’t stop it. All we can do is ensure that we’re not playing a part in it. Precisely why we verify age.

When did e-cigarettes start?

Honestly, thinking back to when we were teens, we’d do anything as long as it was cool. Vaping gets interesting here. When Hon Lik invented the e-cig in 2003 after having witnessed his father die from smoke-related cancer, he certainly didn’t plan the next “in” thing. Hon was literally about designing a tobacco, tar and carbon monoxide-free alternative to smoking that would save lives.

Is vaping legal in California?

Vaping sales in the US are prohibited to under 21s or under 18s, depending on the state. In California, Hawaii, Oregon, New Jersey, and Maine, it’s 21+. In all 42 other states, it’s 18+.

Is vaping a gateway to smoking?

This directly contradicts PHE’s reports: Vaping is not a gateway to smoking. “Only a tiny proportion of teens vape, smoking rates have continued to go down, and there’s no evidence e-cigs are a gateway into smoking.”. - Deborah Arnott, chief executive of Action on Smoking and Health.

How old do You have to be to buy a vape in the UK?

In October 2015, the law was changed to ban retailers from selling e-cigarettes or e-juices to anyone who is aged under 18 years, and this includes both online and bricks and mortar stores.

What if I already have a vape – is it still illegal to use it?

Although it is not legal to buy e-cigarettes under the age of 18 in the UK, anyone aged under 18 is not yet committing a crime if they vape, either at home or in public.

How old do you have to be to buy cigarettes?

Whereas in the past anyone over the age of 16 was legally allowed to buy cigarettes in a store, the law was changed in recent years to prevent anyone under the age of 18 to buy any smoking paraphenalia.

How much can you be fined for selling e-cigarettes?

Although minors are not actually committing a crime if they attempt to buy e-cigarettes, any retailer that is caught selling these products to minors can be fined up to £2,500 for the offence.

When will smoking be outlawed?

With further laws set to come into force to outlaw smoking even further by 2020, it seems likely ...

Is vaping more widespread in the UK?

Vaping is becoming a lot more widespread throughout the UK, and more people than ever before are switching to e-cigs rather than tobacco cigarettes.

Is there a law against vaping in the UK?

Archy. -. March 3, 2018. When vaping was first introduced to the UK, there was no legislation in place to prevent people of any age purchasing e-cigarettes. However, after trying frantically to keep up with the pace of change, the government has put laws in place to limit their sales to those who are considered to be minors.

What does this mean?

Well, at this moment in time it is complicated. Whilst it is illegal to buy a vape device if you are under the age of 18, an individual under 18 wouldn’t actually be committing a crime if they were to vape at home on private land or in a public place.

Vape Shops & Retailers

If a retailer is caught to be selling vaping products to minors they can be fined up to £2,500. There is a lot of confusion between retailers as to what is currently legal or illegal when it comes to vaping.

Age verification for online Vape retailers

If you have ordered from an online vape retailer in the last couple of years, the chances are, you have been asked to verify your age before gaining entry to the site. This is because the UK has introduced a law that prohibits the sale of e-cigarettes to under 18’s.

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.

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 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 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

What is vaping product?

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

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.

Is it illegal to smoke e-cigarettes?

Vaping and e-cigarettes come under the same law as smoking. This law says that it's illegal to sell any tobacco products to someone under 18. It's also illegal for someone else to buy them for you if you are under 18. It would be important to think carefully about why you want to try this and the effects it might have on you.

Is it bad to smoke before quitting?

It would be important to think carefully about what you are hoping for before starting to smoke. No matter how you smoke, it’s still damaging to your heart and lungs, addictive and expensive. Childline has lots of advice on smoking and to get help with quitting.

Is it illegal to vape liquid?

It would be illegal for someone to sell you e-cigarettes, vape liquid or normal cigarettes at the age of 13. It isn't technically illegal for you to carry an e-cigarette but if you are caught in public ...

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