Vaping Ban in Ethiopia

Vaping devices are Banned

Vaping Ban 

Vaping Ban

The law bans the manufacture, wholesale, distribution, sale or offer for sale, and import to trade of any e-cigarette or “other related cigarette resembling technology product.”

Ethiopia enforces a comprehensive national ban on e‑cigarettes, making it illegal to manufacture, import, distribute, sell, or offer for sale any vape or “technology product resembling a cigarette” under the Food and Medicine Administration Proclamation No. 1112/2019, Sec. 46(2) . While use of e‑cigarettes is not explicitly prohibited, meaning vaping is technically allowed in indoor public places, workplaces, and public transport, the country’s broader tobacco‑control rules still apply to smoke‑free zones .

Punishment

Anyone caught selling tobacco products in prohibited areas may face up to 6 months in jail or a fine of 5000 birr. Additionally, smoking or using tobacco products in designated smoke-free zones can result in a fine of up to 1000 birr. However, there have been no reported instances of fines being issued for non-compliance with these regulations.

According to enforcement summaries, violations involving illegal sales can lead to up to 6 months in jail or fines of 5,000 birr, and using tobacco products—including vapes—in designated smoke‑free areas may result in fines up to 1,000 birr, though reports note that fines are rarely issued in practice . Some regulatory trackers describe Ethiopia as having a full national ban, including on use, but this appears to be an over‑generalization; the primary law bans commercial activity, not personal use