With the increased popularity of vapes, so many people of all ages want to try them out.
So if you might wonder how old do you have to be to buy a vape, there is no need to wonder anymore. This article will hopefully provide you with the answer you are looking for.
We tried our best to research and gather all the relevant information concerning your inquiry, so read through the content carefully, and you might find your answer!
How Old Do You Have to Be to Buy a Vape in the United States?
After passing the 2019 federal tobacco law, signed by President Trump, it is illegal for retail stores to sell tobacco products to persons under 21. Congress brought this decision because of the ongoing pressure from concerned parents and tobacco control groups.
Even though the law mainly covers tobacco products like cigarettes, one of the main reasons it was legislated was the increasing number of teens doing vaping.
Although Congress passed this law, which is federal by nature, it was not that simple for every state in the U.S. to follow it. This is because it is not often the case for states and local laws to follow federal laws to the letter. Besides, each state had laws that limited the legal age to use vapes.
Another thing worth mentioning is that federal law prohibiting the use of vapes by people under 21 is meant to strike at retailers, not buyers. So selling vapes and tobacco products to people under 21 will exert a fine that could reach up to $2,500.
Below, we will discuss the age limit to buy a vape for each state in the U.S.
States allowing the minimum age of 18 to buy vapes
The states that allow the purchase of vapes for everyone over 18 are the following:
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Georgia
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- South Carolina
- Texas
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
States allowing the minimum age of 19 to purchase vapes
The states that allow the purchase of vapes for everyone over 19 are Alaska and Utah. Even though Alabama was also in this category, they have recently raised the age limit to comply with the enacted federal law.
States allowing the minimum age of 21 to purchase vapes
The states that allow the purchase of vapes to everyone over 21 are:
- Alabama
- California
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Hawaii
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Wyoming
What Is the Legal Vaping Age in Other Countries Around the World?
Concerning how old you have to be to buy a vape, we also wanted to mention other countries and their approach to this matter. Like the United States, other countries worldwide have set their legal age for buying vapes. Depending on the state, the age may differ and move from 18 to 21.
Some countries even have vapes banned, but we will only cover those allowed in this section.
Just as in the U.S., many countries also have independent provinces or states that may have different laws concerning the legal age to buy vape products. In Canada, many of her provinces have set the legal limit to be above 19, even though the country has a minimum legal age of 18.
In Australia, for example, products containing nicotine, except for cigarettes, are prohibited without a prescription from your doctor. So any vapes that contain nicotine might be prohibited, while the nicotine-free ones are allowed. Again, the age from state to state may vary.
Below we will list some of the countries that allow the use of vapes and their age limits. It is a good idea to know them and be well informed, especially if you plan on traveling to one of them.
18 years of age
- Belgium
- Bhutan
- Brazil
- Bulgaria
- Canada
- China
- Costa Rica
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Denmark
- Ecuador
- England
- El Salvador
- Estonia
- Fiji
- Finland
- France
- Georgia
- Germany
- Greece
- Israel
- Italy
- Ivory Coast
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Malta
- Moldova
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Papua New Guinea
- Paraguay
- Poland
- Portugal
- San Marino
- Scotland
- Senegal
- Slovenia
- South Africa
- Sweden
- Tajikistan
- Togo
- Tuvalu
- Ukraine
- Vietnam
- Wales
19 years of age
- Jordan
- South Korea
- Turkey
21 years of age
- Ethiopia
- Guam
- Honduras
- Niue
- Palau
- Philippines
Things That Vaping Laws Are Meant to Address
Vaping laws in effect in many countries target several things, like licensing, packaging, youth access, and taxation.
- Licensing – Many states require a store to possess a license to sell these products on the market. A store that has acquired a license to sell vapes may also promote, refill and distribute all types of vape products, such as carts, pens, liquids, etc.
- Packaging – Any vape products where vape laws apply must have a written description stating that they are not intended to be used by children and minors. They must also warn the buyer of any potential dangers that the ingredients inside the vapes may pose to the body and overall well-being.
- Youth access – Before the matter was regulated by law, many children and younger adults could get their hands on vapes and similar products fairly easily. This resulted in many addictions, health problems, and even death. But with the passing of state laws regulating this matter, the states have raised the age requirements for using vape products, which resulted in children being unable to access them.
- Taxation – Tax was also imposed on users who consume vape and nicotine products. The reason for this was to lower the number of consumers because of the effects these products have on them.
Final Thoughts
This article was meant to answer how old do you have to be to buy a vape, which we hope we were able to answer.
It may look pretty straightforward, but we wanted to structure it so that you will find the required information fast. And if you belong to any of the states or countries above, you will quickly find the age limit to purchase a vape.
