Is Vaping Banned in the Netherlands?

Is vaping banned in the Netherlands?

No, vaping is not banned in the Netherlands, though there is a flavour ban that makes it different from the UK. Vaping is legal for adults under EU rules, yet since 2023 only tobacco-flavoured e-liquid can be sold, so fruity and sweet flavours are not available there, plus the usual indoor bans apply. Bring your own flavours.

It helps to know that the products are legal, though the flavour you can buy is limited to tobacco. You can use your vape freely within the rules, while buying your favourite flavour locally is not possible. This page explains the law, the flavour ban and where you can vape, so always check the latest official advice before you travel.

Let us look at the law, the flavour ban and where to vape.

For UK vapers, the Netherlands is straightforward in one sense and surprising in another. Where you can vape is much like home, so that part needs little thought, yet the choice of e-liquid on sale is far narrower than you will be used to.

The legal position

Vaping is fully legal and regulated in the Netherlands. E-cigarettes and e-liquids are legal under EU standards of 20mg/ml nicotine and 2ml tanks, for over-eighteens, with health warnings on packaging, though online sales are banned and shops have become harder to find, partly because of the flavour ban.

• Legal to use: e-cigarettes are permitted for adults.
• EU standards: 20mg/ml nicotine cap and 2ml tanks apply.
• Tobacco flavour only: other flavours are banned from sale.
• No online sales: distance selling is not allowed.

Buying locally is rather more limited than you might expect. Many vape shops have closed since the flavour ban, plus you will not find vapes in supermarkets, so it is best to bring your own device and e-liquid rather than rely on buying there.

The combination of the flavour ban, the online sales ban and the absence of supermarket sales has thinned out the retail scene considerably. What shops remain mostly stock tobacco-flavoured liquid, so planning your supply before you fly is the sensible move.

The flavour ban

This is really the headline rule in the Netherlands. Since 2023 only tobacco-flavoured e-liquid may be sold, so fruity, sweet, menthol and dessert flavours are banned from sale, with this applying to bottles, prefilled pods and disposables, whether they contain nicotine or not.

The stated aim is to make vaping less appealing to young people, which is much the same goal behind the UK disposable ban. For a UK visitor the practical effect of this is clear, since the flavour you normally use will simply not be on sale there. You can bring a small amount of your own flavoured e-liquid for personal use, though you cannot repurchase it in the Netherlands, so pack enough for the trip. If you happen to run low, only tobacco-flavoured liquid will be available to you locally, which many vapers find a fairly poor substitute.

This is purely about what is sold, not what you may use. Your own fruity or sweet liquid is perfectly fine to bring and vape in the Netherlands, so the simple fix is to pack enough of your usual flavour to see you through the whole trip.

Where you can vape

The use rules closely mirror smoking in the Netherlands. Vaping is banned indoors in public places, at work and on public transport, much like smoking, with an age limit of eighteen, while outdoors and in private you generally have more freedom.

Treat indoor venues just like smoking and simply step outside, since the smoke-free rules apply to vapes in exactly the same way. Airports there prohibit vaping inside the buildings, though some do have designated terraces after security where it is allowed. Outdoors you usually have rather more freedom, though do be considerate and keep your clouds well away from others, especially around children. The main thing to plan around is not where you vape, which is much like the UK, rather what you bring, since only tobacco flavour is sold locally. As always, look for signage and confirm the current rules with official travel advice close to your trip.

• No indoors: banned in public places, workplaces and transport.
• Outdoors ok: generally fine, be considerate near others.
• Bring flavours: only tobacco flavour is sold there.
• Check first: confirm the current rules before you travel.

If you want to dig deeper, see our explainer on whether vaping is banned in Germany. It pairs well with our guide on whether vaping is banned in Belgium and our look at whether vaping is banned in France.

For the full set of guides, the travel vaping hub brings everything together in one place.

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