Whether you’re puffing away on your favorite vape or thinking about finally making the switch, it’s pretty important to know what’s going on in your neck of the woods lately.
The reality is that since vaping and e-cigs have become such a “thing” the past few years, eyes have been peeling wide open for all those tobacco bros trying to cash in on the action, and you know as well as I do, that whenever there’s money on the table, the government ain’t too far behind.
Throughout the years, politicians have slowly oozed their slimy little paws through the cracks and have been attempting to tax the sh*t out of clean up certain areas by fining us for vaping.
Regardless of your stance on vaporizer laws, it’s better to be safe than sorry, so I dug deep into each state’s laws and here’s what I found.
Map of Vaping Laws By State
Below you’ll see all the states and their respective laws.
I’ll do my best to keep this updated, but stuff is always changing, so if you know something I don’t, let me know.
Vaping Laws
Last Updated: 10/2014
Contents
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
- The Bottom Line and What You Can Do
Alabama
State-wide bans – No.
Prohibitions – Not prohibited inside.
Local bans – 10 localities.
Are there any exceptions – Municipalities may enact laws restricting usage in public spaces as far as local governments are concerned.
Recent updates and developments – Not that I’m aware of 🙁
Alaska
State-wide bans – No.
Prohibitions – Not prohibited inside.
Local bans – 2 localities.
Are there any exceptions – Municipalities may enact laws restricting usage in public spaces as far as local governments are concerned.
Recent updates and developments – Not that I’m aware of 🙁
Arizona
State-wide bans – No.
Prohibitions – Not prohibited inside.
Local bans – 2 localities.
Are there any exceptions – Municipalities may enact laws restricting usage in public spaces as far as local governments are concerned.
Recent updates and developments – Arizona is currently working on banning the sales of e-cigs to minors.
Arkansas
State-wide bans – No.
Prohibitions – Prohibited on school property.
Local bans – N/A
Are there any exceptions – Municipalities may enact laws restricting usage in public spaces as far as local governments are concerned but none of them have chosen to do so.
Recent updates and developments – Not that I’m aware of 🙁
California
State-wide bans – No.
Prohibitions – Not prohibited inside.
Local bans – 34 localities.
Are there any exceptions – Many municipalities are currently taking action by enacting laws that include e-cigarettes along with the prohibition of smoking traditional cigarettes in public.
Recent updates and developments – Former Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger denied a bill proposing to regulate the sale of e-cigarettes, stating that adults should be free to use them if they so choose.
Colorado
State-wide bans – No.
Prohibitions – Prohibited on school property, both indoors and out.
Local bans – 2 localities.
Are there any exceptions – Municipalities may enact laws restricting usage in public spaces as far as local governments are concerned.
Recent updates and developments – Not that I’m aware of 🙁
Connecticut
State-wide bans – No.
Prohibitions – Not prohibited anywhere at all.
Local bans – N/A
Are there any exceptions – Since local governments are forbidden from regulating traditional smoking more stringently than the state, it is unclear if the same applies to e-cigarettes.
Recent updates and developments – Not that I’m aware of 🙁
Delaware
State-wide bans – No.
Prohibitions – Prohibited in all state workplaces, including all buildings, facilities, indoor and outdoor spaces and surrounding grounds, as well as parking lots and state vehicles operated on state workplace property.
Local bans – N/A
Are there any exceptions – Municipalities may enact laws restricting usage in public spaces as far as local governments are concerned.
Recent updates and developments – Not that I’m aware of 🙁
District of Columbia
State-wide bans – No, but there is a district wide ban.
Prohibitions – Prohibited wherever smoking is banned, which includes bars, restaurants, and other public places.
Local bans – N/A
Are there any exceptions – Exempts outdoor areas, designated hotel/motel rooms, retail tobacco stores, cigar bars, hookah bars, and businesses that can show they receive 10% or more of their annual revenue from tobacco sales, excluding cigarette machines.
Recent updates and developments – Not that I’m aware of 🙁
Florida
State-wide bans – No.
Prohibitions – Not prohibited anywhere inside.
Local bans – 5 localities.
Are there any exceptions – Unlike traditional smoking, municipalities are not prohibited from regulating e-cigarette usage inside more stringently.
Recent updates and developments – Not that I’m aware of 🙁
Georgia
State-wide bans – No.
Prohibitions – Not prohibited anywhere inside.
Local bans – 3 localities.
Are there any exceptions – Municipalities may enact laws restricting usage in public spaces as far as local governments are concerned.
Recent updates and developments – Not that I’m aware of 🙁
Hawaii
State-wide bans – No.
Prohibitions – Prohibited on all Department of Health property except wherever traditional smoking is permitted.
Local bans – N/A
Are there any exceptions – Municipalities may enact laws restricting usage in public spaces as far as local governments are concerned but so far none of them have chosen to do so.
Recent updates and developments – Not that I’m aware of 🙁
Idaho
State-wide bans – No.
Prohibitions – Not prohibited anywhere inside.
Local bans – 1 locality.
Are there any exceptions – Municipalities may enact laws restricting usage in public spaces as far as local governments are concerned.
Recent updates and developments – Not that I’m aware of 🙁
Illinois
State-wide bans – No.
Prohibitions – Generally not prohibited anywhere inside, including even 75% of hotel/motel smoking rooms and hotel/motel lobbies that fall under the state’s smoking regulations.
Local bans – 4 localities.
Are there any exceptions – Municipalities may enact laws restricting usage in public spaces as far as local governments are concerned.
Recent updates and developments – Not that I’m aware of 🙁
Indiana
State-wide bans – No.
Prohibitions – Not prohibited anywhere inside.
Local bans – 1 locality.
Are there any exceptions – Municipalities may enact laws restricting usage in public spaces as far as local governments are concerned.
Recent updates and developments – Not that I’m aware of 🙁
Iowa
State-wide bans – No.
Prohibitions – Not prohibited anywhere at all inside.
Local bans – N/A
Are there any exceptions – Municipalities may enact laws restricting usage in public spaces as far as local governments are concerned.
Recent updates and developments – Linn county does not have specific e-cigarette bans, however the retail sale of them has been restricted to a certain degree. They are considered tobacco products, and in order to sell them in a retail setting, one must have a retail tobacco license.
Kansas
State-wide bans – No.
Prohibitions – Prohibited on all Department of Corrections property and grounds, by both employees and inmates, with no exceptions whatsoever.
Local bans – N/A
Are there any exceptions – Municipalities may enact laws restricting their usage in public spaces more stringently than the state, but so far Overland Park is the only city to have done so, banning their use in public and sports arenas, restricting sales to minors, and requiring new stores operate from standalone storefronts.
Recent updates and developments – Not that I’m aware of 🙁
Kentucky
State-wide bans – No.
Prohibitions – Not prohibited anywhere inside.
Local bans – 6 localities.
Are there any exceptions – Municipalities may enact laws restricting usage in public spaces as far as local governments are concerned.
Recent updates and developments – Not that I’m aware of 🙁
Louisiana
State-wide bans – No.
Prohibitions – Not prohibited anywhere inside.
Local bans – 4 localities.
Are there any exceptions – Municipalities may enact laws restricting usage in public spaces as far as local governments are concerned.
Recent updates and developments – Not that I’m aware of 🙁
Maine
State-wide bans – No.
Prohibitions – Not prohibited anywhere inside.
Local bans – N/A
Are there any exceptions – Municipalities have thus far not acted on regulating usage of e-cigarettes inside, as local government have also never regulated traditional smoking more strictly than the state due to the law being silent on that.
Recent updates and developments – Not that I’m aware of 🙁
Maryland
State-wide bans – No.
Prohibitions – Usage is generally just prohibited on MARC commuter rail system trains.
Local bans – N/A
Are there any exceptions – Municipalities may enact laws restricting usage in public spaces as far as local governments are concerned but so far none of them have chosen to do so.
Recent updates and developments – Banned sales to minors.
Massachusetts
State-wide bans – No.
Prohibitions – Not prohibited anywhere inside.
Local bans – 61 localities.
Are there any exceptions – Many municipalities are currently taking action by enacting laws that include e-cigarettes along with the prohibition of smoking traditional cigarettes in public.
Recent updates and developments – Not that I’m aware of 🙁
Michigan
State-wide bans – No.
Prohibitions – Not prohibited anywhere inside.
Local bans – N/A
Are there any exceptions – Municipalities have thus far not acted on regulating usage of e-cigarettes inside, as local governments have never regulated traditional smoking more strictly than the state due to the law being silent on that.
Recent updates and developments – Not that I’m aware of 🙁
Minnesota
State-wide bans – No.
Prohibitions – State law prohibits e-cigarette use in many public places including hospitals, universities, government buildings, and day care, but its not prohibited everywhere inside.
Local bans – 7 localities.
Are there any exceptions – Municipalities may enact laws restricting usage in public spaces as far as local governments are concerned.
Recent updates and developments – Not that I’m aware of 🙁
Mississippi
State-wide bans – No.
Prohibitions – Not prohibited anywhere inside.
Local bans – 35 localities.
Are there any exceptions – Municipalities may enact laws restricting usage in public spaces as far as local governments are concerned.
Recent updates and developments – Not that I’m aware of 🙁
Missouri
State-wide bans – No.
Prohibitions – Not prohibited anywhere inside.
Local bans – 4 localities.
Are there any exceptions – Municipalities may enact laws restricting usage in public spaces as far as local governments are concerned.
Recent updates and developments – Not that I’m aware of 🙁
Montana
State-wide bans – No.
Prohibitions – Not prohibited anywhere inside at all.
Local bans – N/A
Are there any exceptions – Since local governments are forbidden from regulating traditional smoking more stringently than the state, it is unclear if the same applies to e-cigarettes.
Recent updates and developments – Not that I’m aware of 🙁
Nebraska
State-wide bans – No.
Prohibitions – Not prohibited anywhere inside at all.
Local bans – N/A
Are there any exceptions – Municipalities may enact laws restricting usage in public spaces as far as local government are concerned but none of them have chosen to do so.
Recent updates and developments – Not that I’m aware of 🙁
Nevada
State-wide bans – No.
Prohibitions – Not prohibited anywhere inside.
Local bans – N/A
Are there any exceptions – Localities may regulate usage more stringently but so far none of them have chosen to do so.
Recent updates and developments – Not that I’m aware of 🙁
New Hampshire
State-wide bans – No.
Prohibitions – Prohibited on public educational facilities and on grounds thereof.
Local bans – N/A
Are there any exceptions – Since local governments are forbidden from regulating traditional smoking more stringently than the state, it is unclear if the same applies to e-cigarettes.
Recent updates and developments – As of July 2010, e-cigarette sales to minors in New Hampshire became illegal.
New Jersey
State-wide bans – Yes.
Prohibitions – N/A
Local bans – N/A
Are there any exceptions – The Act exempts city parks, beaches, cigar bars, tobacco retail stores, tobacco manufacturing facilities, private residences and private automobiles, off-track betting parlors, and designated hotel/motel smoking rooms. Local governments may regulate e-cigarettes more stringently than the Act. Violating the Act can result in a fine of between $250 and $1,000, depending how many violations one has incurred within a year.
Recent updates and developments – New Jersey has voted to have e-cigarettes put into the same category as tobacco cigarettes, and the same restrictions apply to them both under the New Jersey Smoke Free Air Act.
New Mexico
State-wide bans – No.
Prohibitions – Not prohibited anywhere at all inside.
Local bans – 1 locality.
Are there any exceptions – Municipalities may enact laws restricting usage in public spaces as far as local governments are concerned.
Recent updates and developments – Not that I’m aware of 🙁
New York
State-wide bans – No.
Prohibitions – Prohibited within 100 feet of a public or private school entrance.
Local bans – 5 localities.
Are there any exceptions – Municipalities may enact laws restricting usage in public spaces as far as local governments are concerned.
Recent updates and developments – Banned the sale of e-cigarettes on January 1, 2013. As of September 2012, New York also banned the use of e-cigarettes within 100 feet of the entrance to any public or private school. They are also considering banning the sale of flavored e-cigs/e-liquids. Speak your mind here.
North Carolina
State-wide bans – No.
Prohibitions – Not prohibited anywhere inside.
Local bans – N/A
Are there any exceptions – It is unclear if local governments can regulate e-cigarettes indoors, since they are prohibited from doing so with traditional cigarettes.
Recent updates and developments – Not that I’m aware of 🙁
North Dakota
State-wide bans – Yes.
Prohibitions – N/A
Local bans – N/A
Are there any exceptions – The ban exempts only:
- Private residences except when operating as a childcare or adult day care facility.
- Outdoor areas except within 20 feet of the entrance to a public place or place of employment.
- Businesses not open to the public with no employees besides the owner.
- American Indian religious and cultural rituals.
Local governments may regulate vaping more stringently than the state.
Recent updates and developments – Not that I’m aware of 🙁
Ohio
State-wide bans – No.
Prohibitions – Not prohibited anywhere inside.
Local bans – N/A
Are there any exceptions – Municipalities may enact laws restricting usage in public spaces as far as local governments are concerned, but none of them have chosen to do so.
Recent updates and developments – Not that I’m aware of 🙁
Oklahoma
State-wide bans – No.
Prohibitions – prohibited in all Department of Corrections facilities, including vehicles.
Local bans – N/A
Are there any exceptions – Alongside traditional cigarettes, municipalities are also forbidden from enacting e-cigarette laws stricter than the state law.
Recent updates and developments – Not that I’m aware of 🙁
Oregon
State-wide bans – No.
Prohibitions – State agency employees are prohibited from using tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, in state agency buildings and on state agency grounds adjacent to buildings.
Local bans – 2 localities.
Are there any exceptions – All other indoor places, including bars and restaurants, are not included in the state’s e-cigarette regulations.
Recent updates and developments – Following an incident of e-cigarette smoking on board a Continental Airlines (now United Airlines) flight in Oregon in February 2012, the company now has a policy ban on them. However, the Federal Aviation Administration had not ruled on E-cigarette use on airplanes at the time of the incident, but airlines were and are permitted to establish their own more-restrictive policies on e-cigarette use on planes.
Pennsylvania
State-wide bans – No.
Prohibitions – Not prohibited anywhere inside.
Local bans – 1 locality.
Are there any exceptions – It is assumed that local governments except Philadelphia are preempted from regulating e-cigarette usage more stringently than the state.
Recent updates and developments – Not that I’m aware of 🙁
Rhode Island
State-wide bans – No.
Prohibitions – Not prohibited anywhere inside.
Local bans – N/A
Are there any exceptions – Municipalities may enact laws restricting e-cigarette usage inside but so far none of them have chosen to do so.
Recent updates and developments – Not that I’m aware of 🙁
South Carolina
State-wide bans – No.
Prohibitions – Not prohibited anywhere inside.
Local bans – 4 localities.
Are there any exceptions – Municipalities may enact laws restricting usage as far as local governments are concerned.
Recent updates and developments – Not that I’m aware of 🙁
South Dakota
State-wide bans – No.
Prohibitions – Prohibited in Department of Corrections facilities and on grounds thereof, by both employees and inmates.
Local bans – N/A
Are there any exceptions – Municipalities have thus far not acted on regulating usage of e-cigarettes inside, as local government have also never regulated traditional smoking more strictly than the state due to the law being silent on that.
Recent updates and developments – Not that I’m aware of 🙁
Tennessee
State-wide bans – No.
Prohibitions – Not prohibited anywhere inside.
Local bans – N/A
Are there any exceptions – Since local governments are forbidden from regulating traditional smoking more stringently than the state, it is unclear if the same applies to e-cigarettes.
Recent updates and developments – Not that I’m aware of 🙁
Texas
State-wide bans – No.
Prohibitions – Not prohibited anywhere inside.
Local bans – 11 localities.
Are there any exceptions – Municipalities may enact laws restricting usage in public spaces as far as local governments are concerned.
Recent updates and developments – Not that I’m aware of 🙁
Utah
State-wide bans – Yes.
Prohibitions – N/A
Local bans – N/A
Are there any exceptions – Usage of e-cigarettes is prohibited wherever traditional cigarettes are prohibited which includes workplaces, bars, private clubs, & restaurants while exempting:
- Designated hotel/motel smoking rooms
- Areas of owner-operated businesses with no employees besides the owner
- American Indian religious and cultural ceremonies.
Notwithstanding the preemption against political subdivisions modifying the restrictions on indoor smoking or vaping, this Act expressly allows such political subdivisions to regulate “”smoking & vaping in outdoor places of public access which are owned or operated by”” (emphasis added) a political subdivision (specifically including state institutions of public or higher education)
Recent updates and developments – Not that I’m aware of 🙁
Vermont
State-wide bans – No.
Prohibitions – Prohibitions on school grounds and at child care facilities, both indoors and outdoors.
Local bans – N/A
Are there any exceptions – Municipalities may enact laws restricting usage in public spaces as far as local governments are concerned but none of them have chosen to do so.
Recent updates and developments – Not that I’m aware of 🙁
Virginia
State-wide bans – No.
Prohibitions – Not prohibited anywhere inside.
Local bans – N/A
Are there any exceptions – Since local governments are forbidden from regulating traditional smoking more stringently than the state, it is unclear if the same applies to e-cigarettes.
Recent updates and developments – Not that I’m aware of 🙁
Washington
State-wide bans – No.
Prohibitions – Not prohibited anywhere inside or outdoors.
Local bans – 2 localities.
Are there any exceptions – Municipalities may enact laws restricting usage in public spaces as far as local governments are concerned but none of them have chosen to do so.
Recent updates and developments – King County has banned both the use of e-cigarettes in public places as well as the sale to minors.
Pierce County, on the other hand also has banned sales to minors. They do allow e-cigarettes to be used in public areas such as workplaces and bars though.
West Virginia
State-wide bans – No.
Prohibitions – Not prohibited anywhere inside.
Local bans – 15 localities.
Are there any exceptions – Municipalities may enact laws restricting usage in public spaces as far as local governments are concerned but none of them have chosen to do so.
Recent updates and developments – Not that I’m aware of 🙁
Wisconsin
State-wide bans – No.
Prohibitions – Not prohibited anywhere inside.
Local bans – 1 locality.
Are there any exceptions – Municipalities may enact laws restricting usage in public spaces as far as local governments are concerned, but none of them have chosen to do so.
Recent updates and developments – Not that I’m aware of 🙁
Wyoming
State-wide bans – No.
Prohibitions – Not prohibited anywhere inside.
Local bans – N/A
Are there any exceptions – Municipalities may enact laws restricting usage in public spaces as far as local governments are concerned but so far none of them have chosen to do so.
Recent updates and developments – Not that I’m aware of 🙁
The Bottom Line and What You Can Do
Here’s the thing – you’re always going to find a way to vape regardless of where you live or what silly laws keep on getting passed.
While it sucks that our options for vaping indoors or even in public will most likely continue to get more limited inch by inch, it’s just reality, so no point in crying over spilled milk because the fact is it will happen.
But this is why making your voice heard matters.
While you can always get in touch with your congressman (lulz), you can also find online/offline petitions like this one or get in touch with some groups like these guys.
Hopefully knowing some of these vaping laws helps you out though – I did the best I could putting this together, but if for any reason I left anything out or you have an update that I may have skipped over, please let me know so we can always keep this puppy updated.
And if you ever get into any trouble, remember – just be smart about it.
