E-Cig Users Now Planning Travel Destinations More Carefully

No matter who you are and where you want to travel, your choice of destinations has to be considered in terms of what areas of your life you are willing to modify for the few weeks you’re away from home. In this regard, electronic cigarette users are finding it more difficult to make travel choices based on the vaping laws in some countries. If you are unaware, ‘vaping’ is the act of using an electronic cigarette just as ‘smoking’ is the act of using a tobacco cigarette.

The difficulty for vaping travellers lies in the reality that some countries have banned the importation, sale, and/or possession of e-cigarette devices. For example, the Hong Kong government outlawed electronic cigarettes back in 2009. Just the possession of an e-cigarette device containing nicotine could subject you to a significant fine and other possible penalties. To my knowledge, that ban has not yet been rescinded.

There are rumours that travellers coming into Hong Kong could bring an electronic cigarette and enough supplies for personal use while on holiday. However, it appears that leniency is up to the discretion of the authorities at the time of entry. Moreover, even if customs officials allow a tourist to bring an e-cigarette in, that doesn’t mean local police wouldn’t be less lenient if the user was found vaping in any public or non-public space.

Cigarettes Not an Option

Imagine a holiday traveller from Europe who really had his heart set on going to Hong Kong or another location where electronic cigarettes are outlawed. He has one of three choices:

• use e-cigarettes illegally and hope he doesn’t get caught
• go back to using tobacco cigarettes while on holiday
• choose a less hostile destination.

Obviously, it would not be advisable to use e-cigarettes illegally and risk being caught. The penalties are too severe. That really leaves e-cigarette users with the choice of either going back to tobacco cigarettes or choosing a different destination. For a good number of e-cigarette users, going back to tobacco is not an option either. That means they will not get to enjoy their first destination of choice. It also means that destination is losing out on tourism business. It does not make a whole lot of sense.

For countries to prevent electronic cigarettes from being brought in is tantamount to encouraging vaping travellers to smoke tobacco. This is counterproductive to the very idea of reducing the harm caused by cigarette smoking. It is also just bad for business.

If you were a North American e-cig user choosing between London and Hong Kong for your next holiday, you are likely to go to London if you were concerned about using your e-cigarettes. There is no ban on public vaping in England and there is unlikely to be any time in the near future. There also is no problem with importation of the products either. England benefits by being able to invite e-cig users to visit based on their vaping friendly environment. Hong Kong stands to lose those same travellers because of their oppositional stance.

The Confusing Middle Ground

One final thing holiday travellers need to consider is the ‘middle ground’ stance of some countries. For example, New York City and Chicago are two world-class destinations where public vaping is not allowed. Importation of e-cig devices is legal in the US, so that is not a problem, but e-cigarette users might find themselves relegated to special smoking areas while in their holiday destination.

If the destination were important enough to see, perhaps the inconvenience would be worth it. Perhaps New York City’s​ Broadway district, Times Square and Statue of Liberty are important enough that you would be willing to suffer through public vaping bans in order to visit.

If you were choose to travel to Canada, there is yet another option. Canada only outlaws electronic cigarettes containing nicotine. You could bring with you a non-nicotine product in order to satisfy the hand-to-mouth experience of smoking, while using nicotine gum to satisfy the other part of your habit. However, that means buying two products when you would normally use just one back at home. Unfortunately, the confusing middle ground is the worst place to be when you are trying to choose to travel to the nation.

At the end of the day, it all comes down to what kind of travel experience you are looking for. If it’s important for you to be able to use your VAPESTICK MAX or BluCig without hindrance, you may have to avoid some destinations. It is a choice that a growing number of holiday travellers have to consider now that e-cigarette use is so popular around the world.

Gareth

My name is Gareth Leonard, a Marketing Director turned World Traveler with a passion for slow, meaningful travel. I have been traveling the world full-time for the past 9+ years and document it all on Instagram and YouTube. Come join me!