Travellers heading to Cambodia should leave e-cigarettes, vape liquids and related devices at home. Phnom Penh authorities have publicly demonstrated renewed enforcement of the country’s restrictions after destroying more than 365,000 seized smoking-related items on 21 August.
Reports by Cambodianess and Khmer Times, citing the Phnom Penh Gendarmerie, said the items came from 14 enforcement operations carried out in the capital during the first six months of 2026. The reported total was 365,783 items, including 269,033 electronic cigarettes, 69,913 vape heads and 794 vaping liquids, alongside other smoking-related goods.
A national prohibition, not a new visitor rule
The destruction does not appear to introduce a new border rule. Cambodia has prohibited the consumption, sale and import of e-cigarettes and shisha nationally since 2014, according to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control implementation database. A Royal Government Order dated 21 October 2025 further sets out prohibitions covering the import, distribution, sale, advertising, use, possession, production and storage of electronic devices and chemical substances for vaping and shisha.
The August action is therefore a visible enforcement signal in Phnom Penh rather than confirmation of a newly announced ban. The available official order is in Khmer and does not set out a traveller-specific allowance for personal devices. GoAsia could not verify any official exemption for a vape carried in personal luggage.
What to do before travelling
- Do not bring a vape, e-cigarette, heated-tobacco device, refill, cartridge or vape liquid into Cambodia.
- Do not rely on products being sold informally or online as evidence that they are permitted; the government order also covers distribution, sale and storage.
- Do not use or carry such products in Phnom Penh or elsewhere in Cambodia. The 2025 order expressly includes use and possession.
- If you use nicotine products, consider lawful alternatives only after checking current guidance from your airline and Cambodian authorities before departure.
Enforcement practices can vary, and the reports do not describe individual traveller cases, airport screening procedures or a published penalty schedule for visitors. But the scale of the Phnom Penh operation, together with the breadth of the 2025 government order, leaves little basis for treating a personal vape as low-risk travel luggage.
Primary sources
Frequently Asked Questions
Cambodia’s government order prohibits the import, use and possession of electronic vaping devices and related chemical substances. No official traveller exemption for personal devices was verified, so travellers should not take a vape or vape liquid into the country.
No new visitor-specific rule was identified. Cambodia has restricted e-cigarettes and shisha since 2014, while a Royal Government Order dated 21 October 2025 set out broader prohibitions. The August 2026 destruction in Phnom Penh indicates active enforcement.
