The law regarding smoking in pubs and other enclosed spaces is clear. However, there seems to be some confusion over whether it is legal to vape in pubs. E-cigs aren’t included in the Health Act 2006 that warranted the smoking ban, so where do you stand?
In reality, there is no law that says vapers cannot use electronic cigarettes in pubs. There was an attempt to ban it in Wales, but the ban didn’t go through into law. This means you are at the mercy of individual pub owners when it comes to figuring out if vaping is permitted or not.
Find out the rules prior to vaping
In the interests of politeness and common courtesy, it makes sense to ask the owner of a pub whether it’s okay to vape before you do so. Some publicans are more than happy to permit it. In fact, it’s not unheard of for some of them to sell vaping refills and other associated equipment. It gives them a shot at some extra sales, after all.
However, if a publican has decided to ban vaping in their pub, you must adhere to that ban. If you don’t – despite the fact it is not illegal to vape in a public house – you’re essentially breaking the rules of that establishment and you could be asked to leave. If you don’t, you are trespassing.
Clearly, the best bet is to ask first and vape later, rather than assuming it is fine to vape. There are plenty of pubs that do allow it, so it’s best to try and find ones that do instead of insisting on vaping when the rules in a particular pub forbid it.
What’s your experience?
How have you fared in this area? Do you regularly vape in pubs or have you come up against bans?
