Vaping Indoors: Risks, Rules and Etiquette
In 2008, I was living and working abroad while setting up this website. Back then, I’d have vapes sent to me by post, testing them extensively so I could write about them.
I lived in an apartment, so vaping outside wasn’t always an option. Over the years since, I’ve vaped indoors in countless places, although the spaces where you can do so have certainly shrunk.
Since then, through reading studies, attending conferences, and interviewing experts, I’ve gained a much deeper understanding of the science behind vaping. At the same time, I’ve had the chance to observe firsthand how vapour affects homes—and how people react when you vape around them.
From scientific insights to practical observations, here’s everything I’ve discovered about vaping indoors over the past 16 years.
Contents
- What the rules say about vaping indoors
- What about the risks?
- Tips for vaping indoors around people
- How to handle vaping in your building or premises
- Conclusion - finding balance
- Related posts
- Sources
The first thing to know is that, presently, there are no UK-wide restrictions on vaping inside, whether that’s at home or in a public place.
That may change in the future, as there have been calls to increase places where vaping is restricted. It's likely that vaping in playgrounds and schools will be restricted (which seems fair enough) as well as in hospitals.
When it comes to localised restrictions, it’s a different picture. For example:
- Most UK public transport systems don’t allow vaping, either inside vehicles or on platforms.
- Airports do not allow vaping inside, although you can usually vape in the dedicated smoking area.
- While vaping in cars is not forbidden, you can face penalties for vaping while driving if it’s deemed to contribute to careless or dangerous driving.
While the legal landscape is still evolving, some of the resistance to allowing vaping indoors stems from concerns about its potential risks. Let’s take a closer look at what the evidence says:
Risks to other people
One of the most common misconceptions about vaping is that it carries the same risks as smoking. Many people assume that the dangers of passive smoking also apply to passive vaping—but the reality is quite different.
Similarly, Cancer Research UK states::
That said, it’s worth considering a few caveats.
- Vapour may cause short term irritation for people with asthma.
- Even if the risks are minimal, the perception of harm can still cause concern or even discomfort.
Later in this post, we’ll cover specific strategies to minimise discomfort or perceived harm to other people.
Risks to pets
I’m quite sure that many people in the UK care as much about their pets as people! Still, we’ve written a whole blog post on pets and vaping, so I’ll keep this section short.
Essentially, there’s unlikely to be a major problem caused by vapour. As with humans, the vapour will be far less harmful to your pet than smoke, so if you’re switching from smoking to vaping, you’re probably doing your pet a favour.
What you do need to be careful with is e-liquid. Pets, being (usually) much smaller than humans, are far more sensitive to nicotine, and even a small amount can be harmful. If a curious pet chews up a bottle of e-liquid - especially a high-strength one - it could cause serious health issues.
Cats, in particular, require extra care. They have a unique sensitivity to propylene glycol (PG), one of the main ingredients in e-liquid, which can lead to health complications if ingested or absorbed. (In fact, pet food manufacturers have been at pains to strip PG out of pet food in recent years.)
To summarise, vapour is unlikely to cause much harm (although I’d advise against blowing huge clouds around your furry friends) but be careful to store e-liquid out of reach. If you’d like to know more, see Pets and Vaping: What’s the Risk?
While ECD dog Chica has been unaffected by vapour, it is important to keep all pets away from e-liquid.
Plants
I’d consider myself a fairly keen gardener. In addition to a large garden, I own a 26-foot-long polytunnel, my house and porch are full of plants and I am currently venturing out in the freezing cold to my shed twice a day to monitor my seedlings in a heated propagator.
Of course, it’s also true that nicotine is used as a pesticide. However, that doesn’t mean it’s harmful to plants. In fact, it’s probably because of its ability to deter insects that some plants produce nicotine naturally. (Besides tobacco plants, tomatoes, peppers and even petunias produce nicotine).
That said, I don’t make a habit of blowing large clouds of vapour directly over my plants. It’s possible that concentrated exposure to vapour could have a negative impact, but in everyday conditions, it doesn’t seem to cause any harm.
The office chilli plant - so far unaffected by a room full of vapers.
Walls, furniture and screens
To get a better sense of the potential impact of vaping on walls and screens, I did a quick survey of the office (we have a high concentration of vapers!)
No-one has had any issues with stains on walls. (Kayleigh, our Content Writer, tells me she has white walls in her apartment and would definitely have noticed.)
That doesn’t surprise me. My wife, who could spot a speck of dust from 20 feet, hasn’t seen any signs of vapour affecting our home, and I’m sure I’d have heard about it if she had!
As for screens, none of my colleagues reported any problems with phone or computer screens caused by vaping. Kayleigh, again, noted that her screen would be unusable by now if vapour caused damage. However, there is a caveat: e-liquid spills are a different story. One colleague admitted to ruining four computer keyboards by accidentally spilling e-liquid on them—so handle your devices carefully!
So, don’t worry about vapour, but do try and keep e-liquid away from electronics!
The risks of vaping indoors may be minimal, but people’s perceptions don’t always meet reality. Action on Smoking and Health has charted deteriorating attitudes towards vaping over the years, even among smokers:
Half of all smokers (50%) incorrectly believe vaping is more or equally as harmful as smoking (Figure 9). This is the highest-ever proportion with this misconception across all waves of the survey and a significant increase on misperceptions found in 2023.
This misconception means that vapers can sometimes face an uphill battle when vaping indoors, risking discomfort, offence or even arguments. From my own experience, here are five tips to help you vape indoors respectfully and smoothly.
Be respectful
If you’re unsure whether vaping is allowed in a particular space, always ask first, and emphasise that you will be discreet. I find that many places will allow vaping as long as you don’t blow huge clouds of vapour, but it’s good etiquette to confirm before you start.
If you do vape, keep your clouds small and avoid blowing vapour near other people’s faces. Instead, exhale downward, where the vapour is less noticeable.
While this sounds obvious, non-vapers still complain about people blowing vapour around them. It’s not always easy to remember - as a vaper myself, I’m well aware of how automatic the behaviour can become - but being mindful helps ensure that we can keep on vaping without a problem.
Educate
I feel fortunate that there are no restrictions on vaping in my local pubs. Part of that is because I’ve been vaping in them for 16 years, and there have been many conversations where I’ve been able to share the science behind vaping and clear up misconceptions.
When people are receptive, if you can take the time to educate them about vaping in places you frequently visit, it can pay dividends over time. However, it’s not worth getting into an argument over it - I’ve found that once people have some misconceptions firmly in their head, they rarely change their minds.
Equipment and e-liquid
High-powered devices and high VG e-liquids can produce massive clouds of vapour, which might not be welcome indoors. Instead, opt for a discreet, low-powered device like the Aspire Gotek X. Pair this with a VG:PG 50:50 e-liquid, such as Halo Vapour Co., which produces less vapour and is more suitable for indoor settings.
Techniques
Stealth vaping doesn’t have to be about hiding the fact you’re vaping - it can also be about reducing the amount of vapour you produce. Techniques like double inhales, smaller draws, and exhaling slowly can help minimise vapour. Add a bit of discretion, and people will hardly realise you are using a vape. See our Guide to Stealth Vaping for details.
Blow away from smoke alarms
While vapour is less likely to trigger smoke alarms than cigarette smoke, it’s still possible. From personal experience, blowing vapour directly near a smoke alarm can set it off. To avoid this, make a quick note of the alarm’s location when entering a room and exhale away from it.
We’re a vape company, so you’d expect people to vape in our building. However, even we have a mixture of vapers and non vapers, and have to balance different people’s needs.
The key is to be flexible. For example, in my corner of the office, everyone either vapes or doesn’t mind a bit of vapour hanging around.
In our Customer Service area, the team have agreed that gentle puffs on a Mouth-to-Lung device are fine, but if they are testing a new device, they’ll pop outside for some serious puffing.
We’ve also banned vaping in the kitchens and asked people to either be extra mindful or not vape in the eating area.
Obviously, how you will handle your own premises will depend on your needs. If possible, try to avoid sending vapers outside to a smoking area, as there’s always a possibility of relapse to smoking. If general vaping is not possible, try to find a dedicated vaping area where people can puff away without disturbing others.
With all the debate surrounding vaping today, it’s easy to lose sight of its core purpose: helping people quit smoking.
Unlike smoking, which is rarely accepted indoors due to its stains, smells, and health risks, vaping offers a cleaner, less intrusive alternative. The ability to vape indoors is more than just a convenience - it’s a powerful tool to prevent relapse and encourage dual users to move toward exclusively vaping. It also serves as a visible reminder to smokers that there’s a viable, less harmful alternative to cigarettes.
That said, respect and mindfulness are key. By being considerate of others and following good practices, we can continue to enjoy the benefits of vaping indoors - and help foster a positive perception of vaping at the same time.