Can You Take Vapes Abroad?

Several popular holiday destinations have strict laws on vaping and nicotine E-Liquids, and breaking these rules could land you in prison. Can you take vapes abroad in 2024?

Vapers are being warned that they could risk massive fines or even prison time if they aren’t careful during their summer holiday this year. Several of the world’s most popular holiday destinations—such as Thailand, Singapore, and Australia—have strict anti-vaping laws which could see unsuspecting vapers fined or even jailed.

It is imperative that you check your destination country’s laws before travelling, as you can be penalised for simply carrying E-Liquids into the country in your luggage.

Can you take vapes abroad?

Yes and no. Traveling with a vape can be convenient, but it requires careful planning. Different countries have varied regulations regarding vaping devices and e-liquids, and it’s crucial to understand these rules before you embark on your journey.

Some countries outright ban vapes or heavily restrict their import, while others may have specific guidelines, such as allowing only a limited amount of e-liquid or requiring devices to meet certain standards.

Always research your destination’s vaping laws, including rules at the airport, to avoid confiscation or legal issues. Packing your vaping equipment in compliance with both your airline’s and destination’s guidelines ensures a smooth journey and an enjoyable trip.

Which holiday destinations have vaping bans?

In Thailand, unsuspecting tourist can be fined up to ฿30,000 (nearly £700) or sent to prison for up to 10 years. That’s right—a decade in jail for vaping.

In Singapore, possession of an e-cigarette can land you a fine of S$2,000, which equates to almost £1,200.

And in Australia, where policymakers recently announced a crackdown on vapes with nicotine, you need a doctor’s prescription in order to carry a nicotine vape. You can be fined up to A$222,000 (over £126,000), and in some states, you can even be given prison time. Vapers should ensure that they do not carry any nicotine-containing E-Liquids into this popular holiday destination country.

Other countries who have banned vaping include Turkey, Japan, Brazil, the Seychelles, and Barbados. Plus, football fans with plans to attend the Qatar 2022 World Cup could get a fine of 10,000 SAR (over £2,200) or up to 3 months in prison for vaping.

1. Don’t bring your expensive vape!

This should go without saying, but if you’re travelling abroad on holiday this summer, don’t bring your expensive vape with you. It’s best to opt for a cheap vape kit or several disposable vapes. Anything can happen—you could drop the vape in an ocean, forget it in a hotel, or it could be damaged in transit. Heck, it could even be confiscated at customs.

Regardless, it’s a good idea to take a cheaper vape with you if you’re travelling abroad.

2. Bring your vape in your carry-on!

If you’re flying to your holiday destination, remember that it is illegal to pack vape batteries in your checked luggage. This is because lithium-ion batteries can become unstable at high altitudes, and if your battery were to explode or ignite in the cargo area of the plane, the battery would be unreachable by staff and the results could be disastrous.

Instead, most airlines request that you carry your vape on your person at all times, which means packing it in your carry-on. Your best bet is to remove your tank or pod from the device itself and carry these in a sealed bag. And if your vape uses external batteries (ones that you can take out), you should remove these and carry them on you alongside the device.

Most travelling vapers can attest that your pod or tank will leak while up in the air (it’s happened to me every time I’ve flown, even when I’ve emptied my tank), so if possible, you should most definitely empty your pod/tank before take-off.

It’s safe to store your E-Liquids in your checked luggage, but it’s a good idea to ensure they’re kept in a sealed bag to ensure there’s no leakage in transit.

3. Don’t expect to buy vape supplies in your destination country!

Have you ever heard the adage, “Pack enough medication for the length of your stay, plus one week”? The same can be said about vape supplies, to some extent.

You shouldn’t expect to be able to freely purchase vaping supplies in your holiday destination country, not only because some countries have regulations banning sales, but also, because other countries have different regulations on the manufacture of E-Liquids.

The UK has some of the strictest rules surrounding E-Liquids, whereas other countries—like the US—may not have these regulations. This means that you cannot be certain of the safety or quality of the vape products you purchase on holiday.

Your best bet is to pack enough E-Liquids to last the length of your trip, plus a few days extra. You may find that vape supplies are hard to come by in your destination country, and if anything happens that prolongs your stay—be it a flight cancellation or a positive COVID test—you’ll be stuck without your nicotine.

If you want to ensure you’re not tempted to buy cigarettes—which will almost certainly be freely available in your destination country—you’ll need to plan ahead.

4. Pack a backup!

So, you learned that vaping was legal in your holiday destination country—but you didn’t realise that importing wasn’t and your vapes were confiscated at customs. What do you do?

This may seem extreme, but if you want to keep yourself from smoking cigarettes, it’s a good idea to pack a backup nicotine delivery method—be that nicotine patches, lozenges, or gums.

You may be able to find these in your destination country, but this isn’t guaranteed.

If you’re unsure how you’ll fare bringing vape supplies to your holiday destination, you should make sure you pack a backup. Because, as we mentioned, cigarettes are likely to be freely available wherever you travel.

How many disposable vapes can I bring on a plane?

When planning to travel with disposable vapes, it’s useful to consider that one disposable vape typically equates to approximately 20 cigarettes. For heavy smokers, this means you might need to bring one disposable vape for each day you’re away to ensure you have an adequate supply.

Before you pack, it’s crucial to check the specific regulations of your airline regarding the transport of disposable vapes. Generally, many airlines permit passengers to carry between 15 to 20 disposable vapes in their hand luggage. However, these allowances can vary, so confirming the rules with your airline ahead of time is essential to avoid any issues at the airport.

Basically, calculate your daily vape usage based on the equivalence to cigarettes and verify the airline’s policy to ensure compliance.

Conclusion

While you may not experience issues travelling to some popular holiday destination countries, others can land you a hefty fine—or even prison time.

In addition to taking the above steps while travelling, you must check your destination country’s vaping laws before setting off, as this could be the difference between a joyous holiday and a literal prison sentence.

For more world vaping news, be sure to stay tuned to the Vapour Hut blog.