An airline passenger who refused to turn off an electronic cigarette could face a federal charge in Portland.

FBI spokeswoman Beth Anne Steel says the man was held Tuesday after he was taken off a Continental Airlines flight that had returned to Portland International Airport.

The Oregonian reports Flight 1118 returned about half an hour after taking off for Houston because the man was not cooperative.

E-cigarettes, which heat a liquid nicotine solution, are not specifically prohibited by the Transportation Safety Administration — like tobacco cigarettes — on commercial planes. However they are banned by Continental Airlines.