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CAN YOU VAPE IN PUBS, NIGHT CLUBS AND RESTAURANTS?
The rules on vaping in pubs, night clubs and restaurants vary between establishments. While E-Cigarettes produce vapour and not smoke, which means electronic cigarettes aren't affected by the smoking ban and it isn’t illegal to vape anywhere - however restrictions on vapes are sometimes in place to prevent the impact on others. It is sensible to be discreet, so avoid creating big clouds of vapour and blowing it at others - and respect the rules of the house!
INTRODUCTION
Going to the pub, night club or a restaurant and being able to pull out your e-cigarette can be intoxicating (and that’s not just the beer you had there talking), but not all pubs and clubs will let you vape.
This isn’t a legal issue though. The Health Act of 2006, introduced a smoking ban into UK laws preventing smokers lighting up their tobacco products inside public buildings - this does not cover electronic cigarettes, as e-liquid does not contain tobacco and vapes don't burn - they create vapour and not smoke (1). That means it is technically legal to use your e-cigarette anywhere as they aren't covered by the smoking ban.
However, just because it’s legal doesn’t mean you can. Many places have banned vaping and you can get into real trouble if you start puffing away.
The good news is that with the popularity of electronic cigarettes, and if you have just started vaping, almost all venues will have already created a vaping rules so just ask the nearest available staff member and they should know.
Unfortunately, at the moment some of the biggest pub chains such as Wetherspoons and Mitchell and Butlers don’t allow electronic cigarettes (2). The reason they have banned vaping inside is, they say, that the customers and staff get confused whether people are smoking or vaping.
However smaller chains or independent pubs can have different policies for vaping indoors, so it is always good to check before you relegate yourself to designated smoking areas!
DO E-CIGARETTES PRODUCE SMOKE?
As a vaper, it can be rather annoying to be told not to vape inside, considering the vapour produced by e-cigs isn’t harmful to you or the people around you.
In fact Public Health England, the UK government body which focuses on national health issues, has said that to date there is no evidence whatsoever that 2nd hand vapour is harmful. (3)
The NHS also states on their website that E-Cigarette vapour is nothing to worry about, unlike 2nd hand smoke from traditional cigarettes, which can have a huge effect on people who breathe it in. (4)
Knowing this, it can seem strange that pubs want e-cig users to use their smoking area!
VAPING IN PUBS, CLUBS AND RESTAURANTS - IS IT ALLOWED?
When you find a vape-friendly pub or venue that allows vaping indoors, there are still some rules you should follow if you want to be a good patron. It’s about common courtesy really!
- Don’t blow your vapour at other people – This one is pretty simple, but even though vapour is harmless it can be annoying for people around you if you are blowing it in their faces.
- Don’t create clouds of vapour – This isn’t the 1970’s anymore, where pubs were a cloud of smoke with a bar somewhere in the middle. When people walk into a pub or restaurant they don’t expect to walk through a fog of vapour!
- Ask the people you are with if they are ok with vaping – This shouldn’t be an issue as vape pens won’t harm people (and most people will want you to use an e-cigarette rather than a cigarette) but if your vapour smells of pineapple and cucumber or has enveloped the entire table your friends might not want to sit in it.
HOW CAN YOU BE RESPECTFUL WHEN VAPING IN PUBS AND RESTAURANTS?
You might have noticed a theme with the above rules - don’t make a spectacle of your vaping when you vape indoors. In many pubs and restaurants vapes are allowed, but anything that disrupts other customers will be frowned upon.
When you are in an enclosed space like a pub, club, restaurant, or even public transport, creating clouds of vapour isn’t the most sociable thing you can do. If you are with people who understand then great, but if you are in mixed company it might be a good idea to go for a device that is a little more discreet - or use the smoking area.
Smaller e-cigarettes, sometimes called 'cigalikes', like ours only produce about the same amount of vapour as a traditional cigarette would produce smoke, so there is no cloud of vapour to engulf the area. And due to the small amount of vapour produced the vapour is virtually odourless as well.
Another difference between cigalikes and the bigger vapourisers is e-cigarettes can fit into a pocket or handbag easily, so you don’t have to carry it around in your hand. If you are on a night out carrying around a big vapouriser can quickly become a hassle.
CAN YOU VAPE IN PUBS, NIGHT CLUBS AND RESTAURANTS - CONCLUSION
E-cigarettes were designed to help smokers get away from cigarettes, and for many people who have been struggling to quit smoking for years e-cigs are literally a life saver. It’s natural to want to show off your progress and the fact that you don’t smoke anymore by using your vapouriser. But just remember that the people around you might not have been struggling with cigarettes for years, so won’t appreciate your vapour the same way you do!
So always vape respectfully to those around you (especially if you are vaping indoors) and abide by the rules of the venue you are in!
*2024 Update - The largest review of evidence to-date, conducted by Cochrane, found high-certainty evidence that E-Cigarettes are more effective for quitting smoking than traditional nicotine replacement therapy! (5)
REFERENCES
(1) Health Act 2006
(2) Wetherspoon faqs
(3) UK Health Security Agency: Clearing up some myths around e-cigarettes
(4) Using e-cigarettes to stop smoking
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Written by Jonny Shaw
Jonny Shaw – Is a former smoker of 7 years before becoming a client of SMOKO E-Cigarettes. He started working with SMOKO 10 years ago after successfully quitting with our cigalike and now heads up our Customer Service. Jonny helps countless people every day to find the right solutions to quit smoking cigarettes using our range of vape and electronic cigarette products.
