Tobacco harm reduction (THR) experts are deply concerned that this ban could drive current vapers back to smoking or into illegal markets, reversing years of progress in the area of smoking cessation.

Earlier this year, the new UK Government had announced plans to re-introduce the previously shelved Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which among other measures included a generational smoking ban and a ban on disposable vapes. In response to the announcement, tobacco harm reduction experts had highlighted that by making vaping less accessible, the government risks undoing a lot of the success it had acheived until now to reduce smoking rates, by discouraging adult smokers from switching to vaping.

Sadly, these arguments have fallen on deaf ears and on the 24th of October came the official announcement about a ban on single-use vapes, set to take effect on June 1, 2025, across England, Scotland, and Wales. This policy aims to address multiple issues tied to disposable vapes, which are popular among UK youth, with a quarter of 11- to 15-year-olds reportedly using them. By restricting access, the government hopes to protect young people from nicotine addiction.

However, beyond health concerns, the ban seeks to reduce the environmental impact of disposable vapes, which contain harmful materials like lithium, plastic, and toxic substances that pollute landfills and waterways. These devices add nearly five million units of waste weekly, with lithium-ion batteries posing fire hazards in waste facilities. Circular Economy Minister Mary Creagh emphasized the government’s commitment to reducing waste and promoting sustainability, calling single-use vapes “extremely wasteful.”

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