By Samantha Jones-
Disposable vapes are set to be banned in the UK as part of plans to tackle the rising number of young people taking up vaping.
New powers will come into force to restrict vape flavours, introduce plain packaging and change how vapes are displayed in shops so they don’t appeal to children
The new law will make it illegal to sell tobacco products to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009, delivering on the Prime Minister’s pledge to create a smokefree generation
Among the plans are measures to introduce prevent vapes being marketed at children, as well as to target under-age sales.
There are speculations that the bill could be brought in using existing legislation designed to protect the environment.
Campaigners say disposable vapes are wasteful and that the materials and chemicals used to make them, including their lithium batteries, make them difficult to dispose of safely.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak suggested adult smokers trying to quit would still have access to alternatives like vapes under the proposals.
Figures from the Action on Smoking and Health (Ash) charity suggest 7.6% of 11 to 17-year-olds now vape regularly or occasionally, up from 4.1% in 2020.
Mr Sunak said it was right that “strong action” was taken to stamp out vaping in children.
“Children shouldn’t be vaping, we don’t want them to get addicted, we still don’t understand the full long-term health impacts,” he said.
Mr Sunak suggested the proposals struck the right balance between restricting access for children and maintaining access for adult smokers trying to quit smoking.
“It is important that we maintain vapes for adult smokers who want to stop,” the Prime Minister continued, adding that he wanted to target “all the things that make sure children don’t have access to vapes.”
The vapour that is inhaled can still contain small amounts of chemicals that are found in cigarettes, including nicotine – which is addictive but not seen by the health service as one of the most problematic ingredients in cigarettes.
The proposals follow last year’s announcement of a ban on the sale of cigarettes to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009 as part of an attempt to create a “smoke-free generation”.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer expressed his support for a disposable vapes ban but criticised what he described as a two-year delay by the government in introducing legislation.
He also criticized suggestions Tory MPs may get a free vote on the issue – meaning they will be able to vote according to their conscience, not the party line.
Smoking is the UK’s single biggest preventable killer – causing around 1 in 4 cancer deaths and leading to 80,000 deaths per year – so stopping young people from ever starting to smoke will protect an entire generation, and future generations, from smoking harms as they grow up.
In order to help ensure the success of the smokefree generation plan, £30 million new funding a year will be provided to bolster enforcement agencies – including Border Force, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and trading standards.
The Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, said:
As any parent or teacher knows, one of the most worrying trends at the moment is the rise in vaping among children, and so we must act before it becomes endemic.
The long-term impacts of vaping are unknown and the nicotine within them can be highly addictive, so while vaping can be a useful tool to help smokers quit, marketing vapes to children is not acceptable.
As Prime Minister I have an obligation to do what I think is the right thing for our country in the long term. That is why I am taking bold action to ban disposable vapes – which have driven the rise in youth vaping – and bring forward new powers to restrict vape flavours, introduce plain packaging and change how vapes are displayed in shops.
Alongside our commitment to stop children who turn 15 this year or younger from ever legally being sold cigarettes, these changes will leave a lasting legacy by protecting our children’s health for the long term.
There was overwhelming support among responses to the government’s consultation for a disposable vape ban, with nearly 70% of parents, teachers, healthcare professionals and the general public supportive of the measure.
The government has a duty to protect children’s health, which is why it is taking bold and decisive action on smoking and vaping. This is the responsible thing to do to protect children for generations to come.
Health and Social Care Secretary Victoria Atkins said:
Smoking is still the single largest preventable cause of death in England. Almost every minute of every day someone is admitted to hospital with a smoking-related disease. And it costs society £17 billion each year – putting a huge burden on our NHS.
That’s why we are driving the way forward through our smokefree generation plan, which will prevent our children from starting this dangerous habit.
The health advice is clear: vapes should only ever be used as a tool to quit smoking. But we are committed to doing more to protect our children from illicit underage vaping, and by banning disposable vapes we’re preventing children from becoming hooked for life.
Vapes should only be used by adults as a tool to quit smoking. They contribute to an extra 50,000 to 70,000 smoking quits a year in England.
”As part of the government’s Swap to Stop scheme, almost 1 in 5 of all adult smokers in England will have access to a vape kit alongside behavioural support to help them quit the habit and improve health outcomes.
Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty said:
”Smoking damages and cuts short lives in extraordinary numbers.
Stillbirths, cancer, asthma, dementia, stroke and heart failure – smoking causes disability and death throughout the life course. If passed, this legislation would have a major public health impact across many future generations”.