Can you vape in pubs? Short answer: no. But why is this?
If vapes aren’t cigarettes, then why are they forbidden in pubs and other smoke-free locations? How about on the train? Or in your car with a child present? Can you relieve your stress with a vape while standing next to the entrance to A&E?
All these questions deserve detailed answers, considering forthcoming bans and shifts within the UK’s vaping sector under Kier Starmer’s Labour government. If you want to know your rights and whether your favourite vaping spot might have to change soon, read on for more info.
Are You Allowed to Vape in a Pub?
You are NOT allowed to vape inside a pub. It isn’t illegal in the same way that smoking is, but most pubs have chosen to make their employee’s jobs easier by avoiding any slippery slopes and forbidding indoor vape use.
If you’re in your 30s or older, you remember what pubs used to be like. A pea-soup vault of hacking coughs, the cherry-red lights of the fruit machine burning across the smoke-filled room like some hellish lighthouse where beers spill, and dogs whine under tables unseen.
Unpleasant! Most see the indoor smoking ban as a good thing. Even though the criteria used to determine the harmful effects of smoking aren’t applicable to e-cigarette use, drinkers and diners have grown accustomed to pubs that aren’t filled with visible fumes and odd scents.
In 2013, pub chain JD Wetherspoon defended their decision to maintain a vaping ban on the basis that bar staff were having trouble serving customers in time because, due to the visible vapour that emits from electronic cigarettes,
“[…] if a customer looks like they are smoking, barstaff have no other choice but to investigate.”
It may not seem fair, but pub owners are more likely to side with those who don’t wish to see vapes being used indoors; in the wake of the 2007 ban, a lot of people began to see bars as being healthier for children, pregnant people, asthmatics and a number of others who had previously felt unwelcome or unsafe in a smoke-laden environment.
Can You Vape On a Train or Bus?
No, you cannot vape on the train, bus, or other public transport, including trams and novelty railways. So don’t get cute with it.
The move to ban vaping on public transport came quite a bit after the 2006 Health Act, which introduced the ‘smoke-free’ rules that impacted mass transit systems.
In 2014, Transport for London (TfL) banned vaping across its entire network, and all other public transport companies followed suit. This extends to rules against vaping on railway platforms as well.
And if you can’t take a nicotine break that long, that’s what the gum and nicotine pouches are for!
Can You Vape at Work?
This depends on where you work, your boss’s feelings and your colleague’s health issues!
I (he says smugly) can vape all day at my desk, thank you very much. That’s because I work for a vape website in a room full of vapers selling vapes all day. It goes with the territory! But this may not be the case for you.
A 2016 report by Public Health England states:
“The evidence of harm from secondhand exposure to vapour is not sufficient to justify the prohibition of e-cigarettes. Managers of public places and workplaces should ensure this evidence informs their risk assessments.”
So whoa there, puffer-boy, because the decision as to whether you can vape at work is entirely the decision of your managers and business owners.
They don’t want their supermarket staff puffing all over the fruit and vegetable aisle, and they also need to consider issues like respiratory conditions among the workforce. If Ted two desks over has asthma, that matters more than your nic cravings, buddy. Step outside with the smokers.
Can You Vape in a Restaurant?
Oh, you’re SERIOUS? Right. Well, absolutely not.
We’ve already been over how you can’t blow vapour all over a pub, so you can be sure restaurants have the same hardline rules. Now, vaping in restaurants isn’t technically illegal in the UK, as it doesn’t violate smoke-free regulations.
But once again, this is a situation where most diners aren’t keen to get a whiff of your vape juice de jour.
In a commercial dining space, the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, so you’ll need to step away if you’re finding the meal stressful and need a puff. Or, consider a fast-dissolving nicotine film strip between courses.
Can You Vape in a Hotel?
Most of the time, the answer is no.
All UK hotels forbid smoking in all or most of their suites for obvious reasons. No non-smoking person wants to pay for a room and then have to marinate in the previous guest’s tar exhalations. It kind of takes the shine off a vacation!
Because vapes set off smoke alarms, hotels have chosen to ban them along with cigarette smoking for simplicity. The fewer alarms going off, the better, and preventing sweet vapour fumes from soaking into the upholstery is an added benefit for the facility.
Some hotels will offer smoking rooms, and you’ll be permitted to vape in these spaces if you can secure one. While some hotels permit balcony smoking and vaping, we strongly urge you to check with the hotel first to avoid a nasty fine upon checking out.
Is Vaping Allowed in Sports Stadiums?
Nope! But I can see why you think it’s allowed. After all, it’s outside in the open air. What could be the harm?
Silence, vaper. The Premier League cares not for your arguments. They have officially stated that within their stadiums and events:
“Smoking, vaping and consumption of alcohol […] is not permitted. […] The Premier League reserves the right to determine appropriate action for breaches of this code of conduct. This may include being […] ejected from the event.”
As e-cig vapour can annoy or, in some cases, cause harm to other spectators, the League has issued a blanket ban, and other UK sporting organisations have followed suit.
While the situation may be different and more nuanced at a smaller, independent sporting event, we strongly recommend that you check with the organisers before firing up your vape pen. Don’t let the side down!
Can You Vape at Hospital Facilities
Sort of, in certain places, but not for long!
Sorry about the confusing answer, but this is a considerable government discussion right now. At the time of writing, you’re still permitted to vape outside of hospitals, even in outdoor areas where the medical facility does not permit smoking.
The Labour government is set on implementing bans on vaping in numerous outdoor spaces, including near hospital grounds. The bans are part of a larger roadmap towards eliminating nicotine addiction in young people.
So, if you harboured fond ideas of cracking out your sub-ohm vape in the maternity waiting room like a 1950s husband, keep dreaming, buddy. It’s not going to happen. Go down the hall, go outside, and keep walking for a bit!
Is It Illegal to Vape while Driving in the UK?
No, you’re allowed to vape while driving, but you are expected to use some common sense.
There are no laws (currently) on the books saying no vaping while driving, but you can be stopped by the police and fined £100 if they conclude that vaping has caused you to lose control of your vehicle.
Did you hit the curb while refilling your pod? Fogged out your windows while sub-ohming and swerved a bit? You’re nicked, sunshine.
It’s also worth remembering that it is illegal to smoke tobacco in a roofed vehicle containing under-18s. We don’t know if Labour’s upcoming bans will touch on this, but we’ll let you know immediately if they do.
Are You Allowed to Vape at Concerts?
Indoors? Nope. Outside at a festival? Maybe!
Indoor concert venues will be subject to the same smoke-free rules as pubs and restaurants. An enclosed public space is generally not a cool place to start atomising e-liquid.
The rest of the audience definitely doesn’t want you to light a cigar and likely won’t be any more accepting of your sour raspberry nic salts.
Outdoor concerts and festivals are more nuanced. Some organisers may still wish to keep the performance irritant-free for all listeners, while others may feel a massive field in Reading is an acceptable place for a bit of puffing.
Check first, and don’t get your hardware confiscated!
It’s worth noting that Glastonbury Festival has been against the use of disposable vapes since 2023 due to lithium battery waste issues.
Can You Vape In A Pub Smoking Area?
You would think so, wouldn’t you? But not for much longer.
Starmer’s Labour is looking into banning the use of both cigarettes and vapes from all pub seating areas, even those outside. It’s a divisive issue, with some calling for nicotine-free outdoor spaces and others feeling put upon by an encroaching nanny state.
At the risk of editorialising, Starmer’s Labour doesn’t have a brilliant track record of sticking to its pledges. Still, it is very committed to implementing the outdoor smoking/vaping ban.
For this reason, you might find the pub beer garden a little less relaxing this summer. Once again, as soon as we at MIST know more, you’ll know too.
Can You Vape at the Airport?
No, you can’t just start puffing away anywhere in a busy and intricately managed international travel hub like the airport. That’s silly, and you’re silly for asking.
Airports are in the unique position of seeing vapes are MORE dangerous than cigarettes because a pack of ciggies doesn’t have a lithium battery in it that regular sprinkler systems have trouble putting out in the event of a fire.
There are, of course, smoking areas in place in the majority of airports where vapes are allowed to be used. Generally, once you’re through security that’s you done smoking/vaping until the end of your journey, but the following UK airports do have smoking areas past security:
- Aberdeen
- Bournemouth
- Bristol
- Cardiff
- Doncaster
- East Midlands
- Leeds Bradford
- Liverpool
- Manchester
- Belfast
- Newcastle
It’s essential to know precisely what the dos and don’ts of travelling as a vaper are, so please check out our guide on international travel with a vape kit.
Puff, Pass, or Pause?
Vaping is better for you than smoking, but your vape kit will be seen and treated the same as a cigarette by most businesses, venues, and travel hubs. Be aware of yourself and try not to frustrate non-vapers with your vapour cloud.
If you require smokeless vape alternatives that bypass all smoke-free rules and bans while still delivering nicotine satisfaction, consider browsing our selection of vape alternatives, such as nicotine gum and dissolving film strips.
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