Two new Alabama laws hit vape products starting Thursday, October 1, 2026 one bans vaping in indoor public spaces statewide, and the other adds a new excise tax on every milliliter of vape liquid sold. Here’s what changes, and what it costs you.
Indoor Vaping Ban: SB 9
Senate Bill 9, sponsored by State Sen. Gerald Allen and signed as Act 2026-505, expands Alabama’s Clean Indoor Air Act so that the legal definition of “smoking” now includes vaping. From October 1, using an e-cigarette or vape device is banned everywhere smoking is already banned indoors.
That covers a long list: restaurants, shopping malls, hospitals, nursing homes, libraries, theaters, museums, schools and other educational facilities, workplaces, airports, banks, retail stores, government buildings, and sports facilities. Private residences are not affected.
The law also renames the act the Vivian Davis Figures and Barbara Drummond Clean Indoor Air Act. State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris said the change is about “reducing exposure to tobacco smoke and harmful chemicals from vaping in indoor public spaces,” and the health department is asking businesses to update their policies and signage.
Alabama isn’t alone in tightening state-level rules this year Texas moved against flavored disposables with its own restrictions, part of a nationwide trend of states acting where federal enforcement lags.
New 10¢/mL Vapor Tax
Also starting October 1, Alabama levies a 10 cents per milliliter excise tax on “consumable vapor products” (Act 2025-377). The tax applies at wholesale or when products are imported into the state for sale but the law is explicit that it’s ultimately a tax on the consumer.
What that means in real money:
| Product | Tax added |
|---|---|
| 16 mL disposable (e.g. 25K-puff class) | $1.60 |
| 30 mL e-liquid bottle | $3.00 |
| 60 mL e-liquid bottle | $6.00 |
Retailers and wholesalers must obtain a Vapor Products Tax License from the Alabama Department of Revenue (registration opens October 1 through My Alabama Taxes no fee), report monthly by the 20th, and face penalties for selling without the license. For comparison, the UK’s new £2.20 per 10mL vape duty also just took effect October 1 vapers on both sides of the Atlantic are paying more this week.
What Happens Next
Businesses have been told to update no-smoking signage to include vaping, and shops should have their tax licenses in order before selling taxed stock. Vapers in Alabama: don’t vape indoors in public places from tomorrow, and expect shelf prices to tick up as the per-milliliter tax filters through.
We’ll keep tracking state-level changes as they land see all our coverage in Regulations.
Source: The Cullman Times