What is the Legal Age to Vape?

Countries around the world have different legal vaping age limits. In this post, we’ll explore how old you have to be to vape in the United States, why was that age limit imposed, and what other countries have done to prescribe the legal age to vape.

Over the last 10 years, vaping has taken the US by storm, seeing millions of Americans shifting to vape products from combustible cigarettes. Aside from being a substitute for tobacco, vaping has become somewhat of a hobby and a lifestyle, both praised and ridiculed in thousands of memes, and in pop culture in general. 

Naturally, widespread trends always grab the attention of youngsters who wish to be seen as cool and edgy, and blowing huge vapor clouds has a certain appeal to it.

And while e-liquid aromas consist of propylene glycol, vegetable glycerol, food aromas, and (optionally) nicotine, state laws in the US still consider them (as well as vape pens) to be tobacco-related products, enforcing similar age restrictions to those levied against cigarettes, chewing tobacco, etc. 

In this post, we’ll share some important info on vaping age restrictions in the US and the rest of the world, so you can have all the information you need when buying your vape gear both at home and abroad (especially if you’re a vaper who’s in that awkward 19 to 21 age group).

How Old Do You Have to Be to Vape in the US?

In late 2019, tobacco control groups along with groups of concerned parents started aggressively campaigning against teen vaping, making a lot of noise and capitalizing on a recent vaping scare that involved illegal THC products. This forced Congress to move forward with the federal “Tobacco 21 Law” which was signed by President Trump at the end of the same year.

This bill bans tobacco product retailers from selling tobacco and vape products to customers under 21 years of age. However, if you are younger than 21 and a shop sells you vaping gear, you’ll generally get off scot-free. Penalties for breaking the Tobacco 21 Law are paid by the retailers themselves.

Why Was the Legal Age to Vape Raised to 21?

Even before the 2019s “Tobacco 21 Law” around 2016 when the “Food and Drug Administration Deeming Rule” was taking effect, T-21 age restrictions were being enforced in 19 states. 

The argument for raising the age restriction to 21 years of age was because tobacco control groups claim that since the oldest high school children are 18-19 years old, they are able to get their hands on tobacco and vaping products legally and turn their underaged colleagues into potential future smokers by offering and selling it to them. With the gap raised, students should be legally kept away from smoking/vaping since fewer high schoolers hang out with people who are 21 and up. 

When it comes to vaping, T-21 legislators make no exceptions since they are still used for nicotine intake just like tobacco products. Panic erupted in July of 2019 around teen vaping after several teenagers came down with a lung infection after admitting to vaping JUUL pods. It was later discovered that they were consuming black market THC pods cut with Vitamin B bought from a drug dealer. 

Regardless, the whole unfortunate situation meant vaping gear was to join tobacco products on the raised age restriction gap once Congress passed the T-21 law in December of 2019, with some states even banning e-cigarette flavors completely. 

What About the Legal Age for Zero-Nic Products?

Astonishingly, the aforementioned tobacco control laws also apply to Zero-Nic juices, as well as other vaping components such as coils, atomizers, pods, mods, and wicking gear. 

Since these products can be used with nicotine juices, the FDA views these products as tobacco products, forbidding retailers to sell them to anyone under the age of 21. 

Legal Vaping Age in Other Countries

Now that we’ve established that you have to be 21 to vape legally in the United States (no exceptions, not even for zero nic products), let’s take a look at some other countries. Unsurprisingly, most countries have opted for some kind of regulation — there are only two countries in the world that don’t enforce a minimum legal age for buying vape (Tajikistan and Yemen, where the legal age for the use and sale of tobacco products is also not prescribed).

How Old Do You Have to Be to Vape in the UK?

The UK is one of the more progressive countries when it comes to views on vaping, especially after the 2015s study of the Royal College of Physicians which claims that vaping is 95% less harmful to your lungs than traditional smoking. In the very same year that the study was conducted, the UK has passed a +18 law for selling e-cigarettes to minors. The fine for selling vape gear to an underaged person is £2,500.

As long as you are an adult, vaping is allowed almost anywhere, with vaping gear available in multiple dispensaries located in every city. 

How Old Do You Have to be to Vape in the EU?

In the EU (with an exception of Norway and Turkey), vaping legal age is 18 years old, just like with tobacco products. 

In Norway, a doctor’s referral is required in order to prove that you own your device solely for the purpose of quitting smoking tobacco. In Turkey, the sale of vaping products is strictly prohibited, but as reports say, people are still getting their hands on them at certain tourist destinations. 

How Old Do You Have to Be to Vape in Australia?

In Australia, strict regulations are enforced when it comes to vaping. Only nicotine-free e-liquids are allowed for selling legally, but only with a doctor’s prescription and an ID which proves that you are older than 18. Age limits vary from state to state. 

How Old Do you Have to be to Vape in China?

China is the birthplace of vaping, and nearly 90% of vaping gear is manufactured there. The legal age for vaping in China is 18 years. 

How Old Do You Have to Be to Vape in Canada?

All vaping regulation laws in Canada are set on municipal levels rather than an all-around federal law. The national standard for age restrictions on vaping is 18 years old, but in some states and provinces it is 19 years old.  

Vaping Age Limits in Countries Around the World

Countries Where the Legal Age for Vaping is 16 

• Belgium

Countries Where the Legal Age for Vaping is 18 

• Bulgaria
• Canada
• China
• Costa Rica
• Croatia
• Cyprus
• Denmark
• Ecuador
• England
• Estonia
• Fiji
• Finland
• France
• Georgia
• Germany
• Greece
• Ireland
• Italy
• Lithuania
• Luxembourg
• Malaysia
• Maldives
• Moldova
• Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Norway
• Poland
• Portugal
• Scotland
• Slovenia
• Sweden
• Togo
• Vietnam
• Wales

Countries Where the Legal Age for Vaping is 19

• Republic of Korea (South Korea)
• Algeria

Countries Where the Legal Age for Vaping is 21

• Honduras
• Palau
• United States

Why Does the Legal Age for Vaping Differ from Country to Country?

Different countries have different approaches when it comes to the determination of maturity in which a person is allowed to participate in various aspects of adult life such as driving a car, voting, serving in the military, buying alcohol, cigarettes and vaping products. 

While Europe and the Eastern countries mostly have friendlier attitudes towards vaping and enforcing lower age limits, the United States has a rather firm and unyielding view of vaping, putting it through the same obligations and age restrictions as tobacco products despite the items having little to no correlation to one another.  

It is clear that not all lawmakers around the world are equally educated and familiar with the properties of vaping gear, and hold on to their personal views of what is the right thing to do when faced with using prohibition to protect the general public.

If you’re unsure what the legal age for buying a vape product might be somewhere (and you’re underage), make sure to refer to this guide. Also, if you have any questions about vaping — or want to try it and you are of legal age — make sure to visit our e-juice vape pens page to check out our cool vaping gear!