Vaping on holiday: Here’s the rules for each country after call for global ban

The World Health Organization (WHO) has stepped in to urge governments across the globe to treat vaping similarly to tobacco and ban all flavours.

Vapes are banned in 34 countries, the WHO said in a report last year, including Brazil, India, Iran and Thailand. But many countries struggle to enforce e-cigarette rules, meaning they are often available on the black market.

The ban, if put in place, could spell trouble for some big tobacco companies, which have bet on a shift to cigarette alternatives.

Seventy-four countries, mostly in Africa but also including Pakistan, Colombia and Mongolia, did not regulate e-cigarettes at all, according to the WHO report.

In other nations, including key markets like the US and China, governments allow vapes but regulate their use.

Here’s how country’s across the world measure up on vaping:

Australia

Australians need a prescription to use nicotine-containing e-cigarettes, but the country has struggled with a flood of illegal disposable vapes. It has been illegal to import disposables into Australia since January 1.

From March, it will also be illegal to import any type of vape not approved as “therapeutic” by the Australian medical regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration, the government says.

It also wants to introduce a bill next year to outlaw domestic manufacturing or supply of non-therapeutic e-cigarettes.

China

The world’s largest producer of e-cigarettes introduced a raft of laws controlling their use domestically in 2021, including banning the flavoured products many Chinese manufacturers continue to send overseas.

The government has cited health concerns related to youth vaping.

E-cigarette companies require a licence to sell to consumers, and the country introduced taxes on production, import and wholesale distribution in 2022.

EU and members

The European Commission has set regulatory standards for e-cigarettes, including limits on nicotine content and labels explaining they should not be used by non-smokers. Manufacturers must register with the government before selling.

National governments have also introduced laws governing their use. In France people under the age of 18 cannot buy vapes, and their use is banned in certain public places, including universities and on public transport.

Italy lifted a ban on using electronic cigarettes in…