Ultimate Guide for Vaping in Turkey 2024
Turkey, a popular destination for sun-seeking Brits, offers a captivating blend of stunning sights, delectable cuisine, vibrant culture, and warm hospitality. However, for vaping enthusiasts planning a holiday to this enchanting country, it’s crucial to understand the rules and regulations surrounding vaping. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the vaping landscape in Turkey, ensuring that you can enjoy your next holiday with confidence and avoid any potential issues.
The Legality of Vaping in Turkey
Turkey permits vaping wherever smoking is allowed, but the sale of vaping products within the country is prohibited.
This means that you must bring enough vape gear to last throughout your stay, but be mindful not to exceed the import restrictions on what is considered “personal use.” The personal use allowance includes one device, spare pods or refill bottles not exceeding 30ml in volume, or up to 10 disposable vapes per person.
Compared to other popular holiday destinations like Spain or France, Turkey takes a slightly more complex approach to vaping. While the use of vaping products is legal, there are restrictions on what you can bring with you, and purchasing replacement vapes during your holiday is nearly impossible.
Another important difference between Turkey and the UK is the legal age for vaping. In Turkey, you must be 19 years old to vape, so if you’re 18 and use vaping products, you may need to abstain while traveling in the country.
According to globaltobaccocontrol.org, Turkey classifies electronic cigarettes and e-liquids as tobacco products, which means that all smoking restrictions apply to vaping as well. This includes adhering to clean air policies that restrict smoking and vaping in enclosed public spaces such as public transport and restaurants.
Tobaccocontrollaws also notes that Turkey bans the importation of tobacco products that are specifically “consumed by being heated or being lit, other than cigarettes, shredded tobacco products for hand-rolled cigarettes, tobacco products for use in pipes, tobacco products for use in hookahs, cigars, and cigarillos, and all products that are used to imitate tobacco products regardless of their nicotine content including electronic cigarettes and electronic hookahs as well as electronic devices, apparatus, spare parts, and solutions used in the consumption of these products.”
Despite this importation ban, Turkey makes an exception for tourists, allowing them to bring a certain amount of personal vaping products into the country, provided they don’t exceed the specified quantities for “personal use”:
- One vape battery/device per person
- Replacement vape cartridges/pods/refill bottles up to a total of 30ml in volume per person
- No more than 10 disposable vape units per person
- These restrictions apply to both nicotine-containing and nicotine-free vaping products
Can You Bring Disposable Vapes to Turkey
Turkey allows travelers to bring up to 10 disposable vapes per person without breaching their laws on what is considered an amount of vaping products intended for “personal use.” Bringing more devices than this may result in confiscations or fines, so it’s essential to pack accordingly before setting off on your trip.
Remember to declare disposable vapes and any other vaping products to customs upon arrival. As long as you don’t exceed the personal use quantities, you’ll avoid any trouble.
Can You Vape in Turkish Airports
Turkish airports enforce policies similar to the majority of European airlines – vaping in terminal buildings is prohibited, but designated smoking areas can be used for vaping.
Istanbul Airport, for example, offers 13 smoking terraces for passengers, with 10 located on the international side, 3 on the domestic side, and an additional 6 smoking balconies.
The restrictions at Turkish airports are comparable to those in the UK. Vaping indoors in any enclosed public space is not allowed, so you must locate one of the designated smoking areas if you wish to vape.
These smoking/vaping areas are located throughout Istanbul Airport, both before and after security, providing ample options once you land. You can find these areas in the following locations:
- Arrivals floor: Near the 8th exit gate
- Departures floor: Next to check-in area A and check-in area S
- Domestic: Food court area entrance, food court area, near flight gate G11, and across baggage claim belt 1
- International: Next to A-B area gourmet trilogy, flight gate A11, flight gate B18, flight gate C1 (next to Napzone), flight gate D16, flight gate F13, and across baggage claim belt 25
- Transfer: Next to transfer desks
- Fresh Air Terrace: International, across flight gate B1 and flight gate F8
Vape Regulations in Turkey
Although Turkey is part of the EU, it takes a unique approach to vape regulation compared to nations that follow TPD guidelines, such as the UK, Spain, or France. While the use of e-cigarettes is permitted, the sale and importation of vape products are not. The Turkish government treats vaping products as tobacco products, meaning that all the same restrictions on where and when they can be used are identical. These restrictions apply to vapes regardless of their nicotine content, including 0mg products. Additionally, you must be 19 years of age to vape while in Turkey.
Turkey has essentially banned the sale of e-cigarettes, e-liquids, and any related vaping products under Presidential Decree No. 2149, issued on February 24, 2020. Although there is technically an application process for retailers to attempt to obtain a license to sell vapes, as of 2024, none have been approved.
The country has also enacted a ban on the importation of vaping products, but there is an allowance for “personal use,” meaning that travelers can bring some essential vape gear with them on holiday. The personal importation allowance permits:
- One vaping device/battery per person
- Replacement cartridges and bottles not totaling more than 30ml in volume per person
- No more than 10 single-use vapes per person
- Always carry vapes in hand luggage and be ready to declare them to customs upon arrival in the country
Some travel vapers on Reddit have reported that exceptions have been made for them when traveling with more than the designated 30ml e-liquid limit, claiming that as long as it is still clearly for personal use, security has not stopped them. Despite these anecdotes, we always recommend sticking to the given rules when traveling to Turkey to ensure a hassle-free trip.
Beyond importation allowances, the general restrictions for vaping in Turkey under Law No. 4207, Article 2(1) are:
- Vapers must be 19 years of age or above
- Vaping is only permitted in open areas or on private property (which can include some hotel rooms); vaping in enclosed public spaces is prohibited, including public transport and inside businesses or buildings
- Clean air zones are enforced in Turkey, meaning that anywhere you see a no-smoking sign also applies to your e-cigarette, even if not clearly stated – in Turkey, vapes are classified as tobacco products, so all the same rules apply, as verified by TripAdvisor
Can You Buy Vapes in Turkey
Unfortunately for traveling vapers, you won’t be able to buy any replacement vape kits or e-liquids once you arrive in Turkey. As of 2024, no vaping products have had a license approved for sale, meaning they are essentially banned from retail locations. To get around this, plan ahead and bring your vape gear with you.
With personal use allowances only permitting up to 30ml of spare e-liquid per person, heavy vapers may struggle to cope if staying for a week or more. If you’re worried this might apply to you, there are a few tactics to consider.
If you haven’t already tried nicotine salt vape liquids, they could give you an edge while holidaying in Turkey. Despite being deceptively smooth, they deliver an intense and satisfying nicotine hit designed to keep cravings at bay for longer. This way, you might be able to make that 30ml personal limit stretch just far enough to keep you satisfied for the duration of your stay.
While the rules are unlikely to change anytime soon, the Turkish Vapers Alliance has joined the World Vapers Alliance in an attempt to lobby for reduced restrictions and encourage more access to vapes as a method of tobacco harm reduction. This means that one day you may be able to buy vaping products while holidaying in Turkey, but as of 2024, they remain unavailable.
Although all available information about vape retail in Turkey states that no licenses have been granted for the sale of vaping products, personal accounts on forums suggest that there are some locations where you might be able to pick up an emergency holiday vape top-up. While we cannot verify the legitimacy of these businesses, they could be a lifesaver for a traveling vaper caught short mid-trip.
This handful of locations all appear to be found in Istanbul, and are in the following areas:
- Super Vape Shop 2 – Barbaros Hayrettin Paşa, metrobüs durağı, 1995. Sk., 34550 Esenyurt/İstanbul, Türkiye
- Vape Turkey IQos Terea Satış Merkezi – Levent, Karanfil Sokağı No:6, 34330 Beşiktaş/İstanbul, Türkiye
- Beşiktaş vape shop – Sinanpaşa, Hasfırın Cd. İş merkezi, no:10, 34353 Beşiktaş/İstanbul, Türkiye
- Vepe Shop orijinal – Asmalı Mescit, Tütüncü Çk. No2, 34440 Beyoğlu/İstanbul, Türkiye
- Elektronik Sigara Market – H. Rıfat Paşa Mah. Yüzer Havuz Sok. Perpa Ticaret Mrk. A Blok K:9 34384 Istanbul Turkey
Where You Can Vape in Turkey
Vaping in Turkey is allowed in plenty of places, with rules very similar to those in the UK. You can vape in most open spaces and on private property, and some hotel rooms in Turkey even state that smoking rooms are available where you may also vape. Turkey treats vapes the same as tobacco products, so if you see a no-smoking sign, it applies to your e-cigarette as well. The usual restrictions apply to public transport and any enclosed public spaces, buildings, or businesses that enforce a no-smoking policy.
Following the same etiquette in Turkey as you would in the UK when it comes to vaping is the best practice to avoid any upset on your travels. Turkey enforces clean air zones, meaning both smoking and vaping are banned in a number of places, but all should be clearly signposted. Fines are the most common punishment for ignoring no-smoking/vaping signs, so don’t take the chance, or your holiday might end up significantly over budget.
Vaping is not permitted in the following locations in Turkey:
- Official government buildings
- Enclosed public places such as hospitals, restaurants, schools, and other educational buildings
- Children’s parks or play areas (you must be far enough away from these if you want to use your e-cigarette)
- Any form of public transport, such as buses, trams, or trains (the same rules apply to taxis)
Vaping is allowed in the following locations in Turkey:
- Open public spaces or streets, unless signposted
- Private property
- Hotel rooms that also allow smoking
- Designated smoking areas
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