Can You Smoke In Walmart – What Are The Alternatives?

If you are someone who smokes, you know what it is like when the urge comes over you. You need a cigarette. When you’re in the middle of shopping at Walmart, you might ask yourself: Can you smoke in Walmart?

No, you cannot smoke inside a Walmart store. 

Smoking is banned inside most stores in the United States, and Walmart is no different. However, there are ways to smoke while you are out shopping. Keep reading to learn more!

When Did Smoking In Stores Become Illegal

Even though you might wonder if you can smoke in Walmart, you may not be surprised to learn that you cannot. Most smoking inside public places has been banned for years.

You’ve heard people talking about the “good old days” when you were able to smoke inside restaurants, bars, and stores. You may recall being asked if you wanted to sit in a smoking or non-smoking section.

Since the early 2000s, states have slowly banned indoor smoking, which carries over into retail stores like Walmart.

Laws still vary from state to state, but most laws agree that smoking inside retail stores is not allowed.

Walmart and many other similar stores have rules on top of state laws that ban smoking inside of the store.

Can You Vape In Walmart

Some people see vaping as an alternative to smoking. While that may be the case, you cannot vape inside Walmart either.

Vaping is a more common form of smoking, especially among younger people and those looking to stop smoking actual cigarettes.

Though some people will argue that vaping is less damaging to others than smoking, Walmart and other stories in the United States do not allow vaping inside the store.

People in Walmart may try to get away with vaping since the smoke will not set off smoke alarms. The scent of the smoke can also be masked by other scents of vaping, like cotton candy and vanilla. You may think it is someone’s perfume, not vape smoke.

You can make vape smoke smell better, but if caught, you can be asked to leave the store. If this is not your first offense inside the store, you may even get banned for some time.

Be smart and do not vape inside stores either.

5 Alternatives To Smoking In Walmart

Smoking may be banned inside Walmart, but you can still smoke in other places while you are out on a shopping trip. The options are not unlimited, but you can still smoke if necessary.

Outside The Store

The easiest place to smoke is outside the store.

Do not light up inside the vestibule; you will need to exit the store completely. I recommend also moving away from the doors, so you do not upset employees or other shoppers.

If you are in the middle of a shopping trip, you can leave your cart in an aisle that is not in the way of other shoppers and return to it when you are finished.

In The Parking Lot

The parking lot is another great place to smoke outside of Walmart or other stores.

The parking lot is farther away from the door, and you may have more solitude from other shoppers if you go to a lesser-used part of the lot.

Here are a few of the dangers associated with smoking in the parking lot:

• Being in the way of traffic
• Getting hit while standing in a parking spot
• Getting hit with a shopping cart by a shopper

In Your Car

Your car is the best place to smoke before or after your shopping trip.

Cars are a wonderful place to smoke because you have some solitude, and you are in a familiar space. Plus, you don’t have to worry about getting in someone’s way outside or being hit by a car while standing in the parking lot.

You may only run into a problem if you are someone who doesn’t like to smoke inside your car.

Chew Nicotine Gum

Chewing nicotine gum inside Walmart is one way to get the “urge” to smoke to stop.

Nicotine gum is not the same as smoking a cigarette, of course, but some nicotine gum can help you get through your shopping trip without needing to stop for a smoke break.

You may even be able to find nicotine gum at Walmart, so pick some up when you start your shopping trip!

Use A Nicotine Patch

Almost every smoker has heard of a nicotine patch, and they may help you get through your shopping trip. 

Nicotine patches are usually used by those looking to cut back on or completely stop smoking.

While this is the primary use, you can also use nicotine patches to help you get through your shopping trip. 

This can be particularly helpful if you:

• Have severe cravings for cigarettes in a short period
• Know that you have a long shopping trip ahead of you
• Are more stressed than usual and cope with cigarettes

Nicotine patches are, again, no replacement for the real thing, but they can help you while you’re on your shopping trip if you are someone that has bad cravings for a cigarette.

Can Walmart Employees Smoke On Break

We’ve focused mostly on shoppers here, but what about those who are working at Walmart? Well, they follow the same rules too! 

Workers at Walmart and other stores are not allowed to smoke in the store but are allowed to smoke on their break.

You may find employees smoking outside the store or in their cars. Since they are employees, they may also have access to the back parking lot to take their break.

Employees – both smoking and non-smoking – are restricted to the same amount of break time, though, so you shouldn’t see employees who smoke on break any more than their non-smoking counterparts.