From prison sentences to outright constitutional bans, governments around the world are taking an increasingly hard line on vaping.
While some countries regulate vapes as lower-risk alternatives to smoking, others have opted for outright prohibition – with penalties ranging from steep fines to jail time and, in extreme cases, corporal punishment.
Drawing on the latest restrictions and the 2025 Nanny State Index, here are the countries with the harshest approaches to vaping and safer nicotine products.
Mexico: constitutional ban and prison risk
Mexico has become one of the most high-profile examples of a full-scale crackdown. A new constitutional amendment bans vapes outright, adding the country to a growing list that treats vapes as illegal products rather than regulated alternatives to smoking.
Reports suggest that those caught buying, selling or importing devices could face prison sentences of up to eight years. The move follows concerns about black market activity and alleged links between illicit trade and organised crime.
Smoking remains legal, albeit heavily restricted in public spaces – but a product widely used as a lower-risk alternative is now prohibited at the highest legal level.
Singapore: zero tolerance, severe penalties
Singapore has banned vapes since 2018. In recent years, enforcement has intensified.
Penalties include large fines and potential jail terms. In the most serious cases, punishment can extend to caning. The city-state is widely regarded as having one of the toughest anti-vaping regimes in the world.
Thailand: up to 10 years’ imprisonment
Thailand is another country known for strict enforcement. Possession of a vape can carry a prison sentence of up to 10 years.
Authorities have repeatedly warned that ignorance of the law is not a defence, and enforcement is reported to be particularly robust.
India: nationwide prohibition
India banned the production, sale and use of vapes in 2019. The law criminalises a wide range of activities linked to vaping products, placing it among a growing group of countries choosing prohibition over harm reduction.
Brazil and Nicaragua: explicit criminalisation
Brazil has explicitly criminalised vaping products, maintaining a comprehensive ban on sale and marketing.
Nicaragua recently reaffirmed its prohibition, including use. These measures reflect a broader trend across parts of Latin America, where several countries have opted for bans rather than regulation.
Argentina and Uruguay also prohibit sales, although enforcement and possession rules can sit in legal grey areas.
Hong Kong: possession ban incoming
Hong Kong already prohibits the import and sale of vapes. A further ban on carrying vapes is due to come into force at the end of April, meaning possession itself could soon trigger criminal penalties.
This escalation signals a shift from regulating supply to targeting individual users.
Australia: prescription-only model
Australia has adopted a different but still highly restrictive approach. Recreational vapes are banned, and nicotine-containing devices can only be purchased from a pharmacy with a prescription.
Individuals importing vapes without meeting prescription requirements can face heavy fines.
State control and enforcement
Christopher Snowdon, head of lifestyle economics at the Institute of Economic Affairs and editor of the Nanny State Index, argues that international pressure has played a role in the global shift towards tougher rules.
“The World Health Organisation’s campaign against vaping has been influential, especially in low and middle-income countries,” he said.
“Bans on vaping and vape flavours, as well as vape taxes, have been steadily growing for years and it is important for travellers to be aware of what the rules are.”
He has also pointed to countries with state-owned tobacco industries, such as Thailand and Vietnam, where governments may have competing fiscal interests alongside public health goals.
Europe: legal but tightening
For most of Europe, outright bans remain rare – but restrictions are tightening.
Lithuania, for example, allows vaping but bans all e-liquid flavours except tobacco. Spain permits vapes but imposes fines for vaping in certain public areas. In Italy, vaping is legal – but it is prohibited within Vatican City.
According to the 2025 Nanny State Index, Turkey tops the table for overall lifestyle restrictions, followed by Lithuania and Finland. While the index measures alcohol and food regulation as well as smoking and safer nicotine, it reflects a broader appetite for intervention.
A global shift
Only a minority of countries impose prison terms or corporal punishment. But the overall direction of travel is for more bans, more flavour restrictions and stricter enforcement.
The gap between countries that see vaping as a harm reduction tool and those that treat it as a criminal offence is widening – and the policy divergence is becoming harder to ignore.
