Smoking and Vaping Rules in British Columbia
Key takeaways
British Columbia's minimum age for tobacco and vapour products is 19. Smoking and vaping are banned indoors in public places and workplaces, on school property at all times and within six metres of doorways, air intakes and open windows. Provincial tax is $65 per carton of 200. QuitNow, 1-877-455-2233, is free.
Age
19 to buy tobacco or vapour products, one year above the federal floor. See the legal smoking age in Canada.
Where smoking and vaping are banned
The Tobacco and Vapour Products Control Act, its regulation and the E-Substances Regulation set the rules, and vaping is treated like smoking.
- Indoors: public places and workplaces.
- Buffer zone: six metres around doorways, air intakes and open windows. An outdoor hospitality patio inside the zone is allowed to permit smoking only when no open windows, doors or active air intakes connect it to the venue.
- Schools: all school property, 24 hours a day, including sports fields and parking lots. We did not find a provincial playground ban.
- Vehicles: a Motor Vehicle Act violation when someone under 16 is inside.
Compare door distances elsewhere in the 9-metre doorway rule.
Retail and flavours
Retailers need a Tobacco Retailer Authorization certificate for each location. Only age-restricted (19+) stores may sell flavoured e-substances; all-ages stores may sell only tobacco-flavoured ones, and flavours banned federally are banned everywhere.
Tax
BC charges $0.325 per cigarette, which is $65 per carton of 200, in effect since 1 July 2021. Federal excise adds $38.92 from 1 April 2026, for $103.92 before sales tax. Prices are on BC cigarette prices.
Quit help
QuitNow offers free coaching by phone and live chat (1-877-455-2233). PharmaCare also covers bupropion and generic varenicline, paying some or all of the cost depending on the plan. More in free quit-smoking help by province.
Legal information only, not legal advice. Laws and bylaws change; confirm the current text in the official source before you rely on it. Read the full disclaimer.
Frequently asked questions
What is the legal age to buy tobacco and vapes in BC?
19. Supplying tobacco or vapour products to anyone under 19 is illegal.
How far from a door must I be to smoke in BC?
Smoking and vaping are banned in a six-metre buffer zone around doorways, air intakes and open windows.
Does BC help pay for quit-smoking products?
Yes. Under the BC Smoking Cessation Program, MSP-enrolled residents can get nicotine gum, lozenges or patches covered for one course of up to 12 weeks a year, with no prescription needed.
Sources
- Smoking and vaping free places — Government of British Columbia. Accessed October 27, 2026.
- Requirements for tobacco and vapour product retailers — Government of British Columbia. Accessed October 27, 2026.
- Tobacco tax — Government of British Columbia. Accessed October 27, 2026.
- QuitNow — Government of British Columbia program. Accessed October 27, 2026.