It has been more than 10 years since electronic cigarettes emerged on the UK market.
Marketed as a healthier and safer option to smoking cigarettes, e-cigarettes and vaping has risen in popularity year by year. With an estimated 3.6 million people in the UK choosing to vape (roughly half the amount of conventional cigarette smokers), this has caused the government to lay out new vaping laws.
Whether you are a long-term vaper, or you’re about to purchase your first vape kit, here are the rules and restrictions of e-cigarettes.
Age Restrictions
In order to purchase or use e-liquids and e-cigarettes in the UK, you must be aged 18 or over. It is against the law for models who appear to look under the age of 25 to appear in vape adverts too. The UK government has implemented these restrictions to reduce the number of children who take up vaping, especially as many see vaping as a ‘cooler’ alternative to smoking cigarettes.
If you are over the age of 18 and have considered vaping, it is important that you pick a kit that has everything you need. For example, Liberty Flights sell a range of vaping kits, e-liquid, hardware, and Dot Pro vape kits. There are a variety of flavours that you can pick from, including berry, menthol, lemon, and strawberry. Liberty Flights also sell replacement pods, so you can just pop in a new pod, and you’re good to go, without the mess of refilling your vape kit manually and potentially spilling your liquid everywhere.
Product Restrictions
Since hitting the shelves over a decade ago, there have been numerous restrictions put in place on vaping products in the United Kingdom. In 2016, EU regulations banned vape juices that contain diacetyl. When purchasing vape juices, the maximum strength of nicotine is capped at 20mg/ml. Clearomisers and cartridges are capped at 2ml, while an e-liquid container is capped at 10ml in size. For e-cigarette manufacturers to sell their products to the public, they must submit product details to be approved by the government six months in advance.
Where Can I Vape?
Unlike conventional cigarettes, e-cigarette users do not have to adhere to the same restrictions and laws. While there was a ban put in place in 2007, which prohibited smoking in the workplace and enclosed public places, there are still restrictions on where you can vape.
Public Places
Although there isn’t a legal ban on public place vaping at present, it’s still important that you are considerate and respectful to other people around you. E-cigarette vapour is not as harmful to the general public as a conventional cigarette is.
Work
The type of profession you are in will determine whether you can vape in the workplace or not. Whether you work in an office environment, outdoors, or deal with customers on a face to face basis, the rules and regulations surrounding vaping at work will vary. If you are not sure whether you’re permitted to vape, it’s important that you speak to your employer beforehand.
Pubs
Like with any other indoor space, vaping in a pub, bar or restaurant is not restricted by law. However, many hospitality establishments view vaping like conventional cigarettes. This means that you may be asked to vape outside in their designated smoking area. There are some pubs that allow indoor vaping, so if you aren’t sure, it’s best to ask as you may be requested to leave the premises otherwise.
Public Transport
While there aren’t any specific UK regulations regarding vaping on public transport, many bus and train businesses implement their own policies and procedures which prohibit vaping while at a station or onboard the vehicle. Since 2015, most private train companies established new vaping laws that restrict individuals from vaping while on board. If you are travelling by air, there are more rigorous restrictions put in place for vaping on a plane.
Driving
While you are legally allowed to vape while driving, there is a danger that exhaled vapour could obstruct your view and put you at a higher risk of a car accident. It’s important that your full concentration and focus is on the road ahead, so if you find yourself in an accident as a result of your vape kit, you could receive 9 points on your license and an additional £2,500 fine.
Heated Tobacco Restrictions
Products like heated tobacco are fairly new to the UK. When compared to conventional tobacco products, IQOS, and similar products are not burned in the same manner. The smoking ban doesn’t cover heated tobacco; however, you should follow the same rules and regulations when vaping in a public place and always check for permission first.
Since hitting the shelves in the UK, e-cigarettes have gone through various changes. While there are constant improvements regarding the quality of e-cigarette devices, the government has put additional vaping laws in place regarding their use.
