The British government announced that the sale of disposable vape devices would be banned in England from June next year, according to Reuters.
The measure is linked to environmental damage and the growing use of e-cigarettes among children. Vaping has spread rapidly in Britain over the past decade, with nearly one in 10 people buying and using the products.
Despite claims that vapes are supposed to help people quit smoking, health authorities are concerned that their colourful designs and tasty flavours are designed to attract children to smoking.
One in five children aged 11-17 said they had tried vaping, according to a 2024 survey by health charity ASH.
The plan to ban disposable vapes was originally outlined by the previous Conservative government in January, alongside a measure to ban the purchase of cigarettes by those aged 15 and under.
The Labour government also plans to introduce a full smoking bill as part of what it calls “the biggest public health intervention in a generation” to protect young people from nicotine addiction. Minister for public health and prevention, Andrew Gwynne, stated:
Banning disposable vapes will not only protect the environment, but importantly reduce the appeal of vapes to children and keep them out of the hands of vulnerable young people.
According to government figures, nearly five million disposable vape devices were thrown on the ground or in general waste every week in 2023. They ended up in landfill or incinerated, posing a fire threat due to lithium-ion batteries.
