World Cup fans warned item owned by millions could get them arrested | Football | Sport
World Cup fans have been warned about taking one popular item (Image: Getty)
World Cup fans could be arrested for carrying disposable vapes at this summer’s tournament. The devices are said to be used by over five million Brits, which equates to around one in every 14 members of the public.
For the first time ever, the World Cup will be held in three different host nations. While vaping is strictly prohibited at stadiums in the United States and Canada, in Mexico, the rules are a little more complicated.
That’s because vapes are illegal in Mexico altogether, after a nationwide ban was introduced at the beginning of the year. They’re the first nation to have put such a ban into its constitution, but it could pose a problem for fans heading out to the World Cup.
Customs officers use X-ray scanners to detect the lithium batteries inside vapes, with the majority confiscated at the border. However, if people do manage to get them past security officials, and are caught using them in the street, a fine of up to 3,000 Mexican pesos, around £150, can be issued on the spot.
What’s more, if anyone is caught carrying multiple devices, the penalty can escalate, as authorities are able to treat it as trafficking. A larger fine might be issued, while the offence could even lead to imprisonment. Neither England or Scotland are scheduled to have any group matches in Mexico, but the pair could meet at a knockout game in the country’s capital.
Shane Margereson, a vape expert, told Ecigone: “If you are heading to a World Cup match in the US, Canada or especially Mexico, leave the vape at home. In the US and Canada they will be confiscated at the gate. But Mexico is a different story altogether. It is now illegal to even bring a vape into the country, the Foreign Office has warned travellers directly, and customs are scanning bags for batteries.
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Vapes are banned in Mexico (Image: Getty)
“My advice to any vaper travelling to a Mexico match is simple. Do not pack a vape, do not try to buy one out there, and if you rely on vaping to stay off cigarettes, plan ahead with legal alternatives like nicotine pouches, gum or patches, and speak to your GP or pharmacist before you travel.”
While the restrictions aren’t as stringent as they are for vapes, there are several other items that World Cup fans won’t be able to take into the stadium. The list includes horns and pyrotechnics, including Vuvuzelas, which provided the soundtrack to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Umbrellas, folding chairs and seat cushions will all be confiscated at the gate, as will dood, drink, bottles and cans. Meanwhile, rucksacks of any kind won’t be allowed into the stadium, as FIFA implements one of the strictest bag policies for any World Cup. Only small clear plastic bags (one-gallon freeze bags up to 11 by 11 inches, or clear PVC up to 12 by 12 by 6 inches) and the smallest non-clear wallets (no bigger than 6.5 by 4.5 inches) will be allowed in.
