Planning to travel this bank holiday weekend? If you’re planning to bring cigarettes or vape kits into a different country, it’s best to know their regulations. Tourists have been fined and even imprisoned for vaping in countries like Thailand, which have strict laws against it, which is why it’s best to be in the know before you book a weekend away.
While many European countries regulate e-cigarettes, few have banned it. The laws have changed from the 17th of May 2017 though, and e-cigarettes have been officially classed as a tobacco-related product.
In Lithuania, vaping is banned, but smoking is ok. In Portugal and Croatia, you can’t vape in public places, but e-cigarettes can be used outdoors as long as you’re being respectful.
Some countries have placed restrictions around how much nicotine you can bring. In Finland and Belgium, you’ll need to check the restrictions before you fly. In Belgium, you can purchase e-cigarettes but can only purchase cartridges with 20mg of nicotine and 2 ml of liquid. In Finland it’s even stricter, and you’ll need to bring your cartridges with you since you can’t purchase them there. And the cartridges you do bring can only have less than 10mg in them.
In Ireland, regulations are a lot more relaxed, and you can buy e-cigarettes with no problem. You can also vape wherever you like, except public transport.
Each country has different laws surrounding the personal use and sale of e-cigarettes. They’re also continually being updated as new restrictions come into place. For this reason, it’s best to make sure you’re doing your research before you fly, if you’re hoping to avoid fines and enjoy your trip.
When it comes to smoking, some countries are more smoke-free than others. Throughout Europe, smoking is not prohibited, but cigarettes vary greatly in price. Generally, if you stick to places like Budapest, Prague, and other Eastern European cities, you’ll find that you get the most bang for your buck here (it’s also super cheap to party in these destinations).
As you can see, there are a variety of places in Europe which will be perfect for a bank holiday. And many of these have relaxed laws around both smoking and vaping. If you’re looking for a place to enjoy yourself over the weekend, and don’t want to worry about restrictions, it’s probably a good idea to stick to fun cities in Eastern Europe and avoid places like Belgium and Finland.
