Disposable vapes ban announced

Disposable vapes will be banned in the UK as part of ambitious government plans to tackle the rise in youth vaping and protect children’s health, the Prime Minister has announced today (29 January 2024).

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.

The government have announced that measures will be introduced to restrict flavours which are specifically marketed at children and ensure that manufacturers produce plainer, less visually appealing packaging. The measures will also allow government to change how vapes are displayed in shops, moving them out of sight of children and away from products that appeal to them. This expected to be introduced across the UK.

It is already illegal to sell any vape to anyone under 18, but to crack down on underage sales, the government will also bring in new fines for shops in England and Wales which sell vapes illegally to children. Trading standards officers will be empowered to act ‘on the spot’ to tackle underage tobacco and vape sales. This builds on a maximum £2,500 fine that local authorities can already impose.

PCRS welcomes the banning of disposable vapes, which are the most common devices used amongst children and young people. There is no safe disposal scheme for these and with 5 million being discarded weekly in the UK the ban will also have a positive impact on improving the environment.