Taking a Vape Abroad? Six Countries With Tough Rules
That vape tucked into your hand luggage could turn an ordinary holiday arrival into an expensive encounter with customs. Across several popular destinations, restrictions go far beyond smoking on beaches or in restaurants: even an unused device may be illegal. Yet the penalties are not the same everywhere, and the distinction between carrying, importing and using a vape can make all the difference at the border.
Vaping Fines and Restrictions in Six Countries
- Thailand: Import, possession and use banned; fines typically THB5,000–30,000, with detention possible.
- Singapore: Possession/use banned; fines up to S$10,000 since May 2026, including for tourists.
- Maldives: Possession MVR2,000; use MVR5,000; imports prohibited.
- Vietnam: Use fined VND3–5 million; devices must be destroyed.
- Mexico: Import banned; public vaping fines up to MXN3,000.
- India: Import banned; first import offence punishable by up to ₹100,000 or one year's imprisonment.
The figures cover different offences, not a single penalty for having a vape. Thailand's range is typical rather than a fixed fine; India's ₹100,000 maximum applies to a first import offence. The Maldives High Commission says tourists who arrive with a device can have it held by customs and reclaimed on departure. Mexico excludes non-commercial personal possession from its national ban, but that does not permit importing one.
Before departure, check customs rules for your destination and anywhere you will enter during a connection. Keep vapes and refills out of luggage when importation is prohibited; putting them in the hold does not create an exception. Singapore directs anyone arriving with a vape to declare it at the Red Channel, where voluntarily surrendered devices can be disposed of without a penalty.
These laws can affect a holiday even when someone never intends to vape in public. A device accepted by an airline as cabin baggage may still be prohibited after landing, and a resort's smoking area cannot override national restrictions. Leave electronic cigarettes at home where importation is banned, and check whether any nicotine alternatives are permitted before travelling rather than counting on airport staff to overlook one.