Is Vaping Allowed In Pubs?

Is Vaping Allowed In Pubs?​

If you happen to catch a ‘classic’ TV show on repeat,  don’t be surprised to see people smoking traditional cigarettes openly and freely in the workplace, on public transport, in shops, and definitely in restaurants, bars and that UK favourite – the pub! 

Of course those days represent a snapshot of history, long gone now, and made illegal by the Health Act of 2006, which banned smoking tobacco in (most) enclosed spaces. Regardless of any grumbling or disagreement the law seems to have been successfully managed, often by providing suitable outdoor space in compensation. The traditional pub beer garden has been made over to add benefits, such as discreet shelters and heating lamps, and people have adjusted.

The vaping experience 

When tobacco products were banned from pubs e-cigarettes were yet to hit the headlines, so when they did, in the mid to late 2000s, there was inevitably some confusion over how vaping worked, along with concerns over the potential effects of passive vapour inhalation. This resulted in some knee-jerk reactions where an automatic ban was imposed, particularly in offices and other enclosed workspaces, but what are the rules about vaping in pubs?

No blanket policies

Currently there are three possible approaches to e-cigarettes taken by pub management; which means vaping is either:

• Completely banned inside
• Freely allowed inside
• Allowed inside with some boundaries

One large pub chain originally placed no boundaries on vaping, a position which was revised following non-vaping customer confusion which led to staff spending large amounts of time having to check if people were smoking or vaping. 

Independent bars and many tenanted pubs are free to set their own guidelines on the use (or non use) of e-cigs, and there are plenty who allow customers to vape freely on their premises. Others allow vaping so long as it is done in a considerate fashion, specifically favouring e-cigs which do not produce huge clouds of vapor.

The best approach to take to vaping in pubs

It is always best to assume that vaping is not allowed inside, then once on the premises to ask the manager or a member of staff about their policies. In many cases there will be clear signage outlining the pub’s smoking policy but not all will mention the use of e-cigarettes. If vaping is allowed then keeping it low key, (low vapour and neutral aromas), and being considerate to those around you will go a long way to making sure nothing changes.

If you’re interested, find out more about the woomi vaping devices here.