Are you allowed to vape in public?

E-cigarettes do not fall under the Health Act 2006, which justified the smoking ban in the UK. This leaves a grey area in where you can vape in public spaces such as an enclosed work space. The aim of this blog post is to give you a clear indication of where you can use your E-cigarette.

Where can’t you vape?

Workplace

There is no definite answer on whether you can or can’t vape in the workplace as it is down to the employers discretion whether or not you are allowed to use E-cigarettes in the workplace.

Some companies have different policies for smoking and vaping and others class vaping under their smoking policy.

Airports and planes

In the UK, vaping is prohibited in every airport apart from one, London Heathrow. Heathrow allows individuals to vape until they have entered the flight gate. As for planes, vaping is banned on all planes and if attempted it will set off the alarms in the toilets.

Trains

All UK trains ban vaping. Even vaping on the station platforms can get you into trouble.

BusesThe rules on vaping on buses can vary from company to company, so the best option is to check with the operator before you start puffing away on your vape. London buses and National Express have banned vaping whilst on the bus, and if you’re caught, you will be asked to leave bus and not be able to get a refund.

Sports Stadiums

This all depends on which club you’re at, but large stadiums such as Stamford Bridge and Old Trafford have banned vaping altogether, whereas smaller stadiums are slightly more relaxed. It’s difficult for us to give a definite list of places as the rules and regulations change so often so it’s best to check with the stadium before you start vaping.

Music Venues

The majority of large music venues do not permit vaping. The NEC in Birmingham does not allow vaping inside the arena apart from twice a year when they hold the one and only Vaper Expo UK.

Again, similar to sports stadiums, smaller music venues are usually more relaxed about vaping inside so it’s worth asking a member of staff whether you can vape.

Hospitals

The rules of vaping in hospitals can vary a lot depending on where about in the UK you are. Hospitals in Scotland have not only banned vaping inside the hospitals but also on the hospital grounds. Though there is no actual ban on vaping in all hospitals in England and Wales, the majority of hospitals do enforce one.

However, in recent news following a report of E-cigarettes from Public Health England (PHE), Officials have urged hospitals to replace smoking shelters with vaping lounges, and said patients should even be allowed to vape in their beds, if they had single rooms. This makes us think that we may see changes around where and how you can use E-cigarettes in Hospitals pretty soon.

Restaurants and Cafes

Unlike the smoking ban, there is currently no ban that prohibits vaping in pubs and restaurants. Some places may let you vape but it’s always best to double check first. The places that we are aware of at the moment which do not let you vape are KFC, Starbucks and Caffé Nero.