Single-use vapes ‘WILL be banned in Britain next summer’ amid crackdown on children smoking e-cigarettes
Single-use vapes will be banned across Britain next summer, it was reported last night.
In a bid to crack down on schoolchildren becoming addicted to e-cigarettes and prevent littering, ministers will introduce new laws forcing all suppliers in England to get rid of all stocks of single-use items by June 2025.
Downing Street expects the devolved governments of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to impose the same deadline on single-use vapes such as Elf bars and Lost Mary.
But reportedly all refillable vapes will remain available as doctors use them to help patients quit smoking.
It comes as Sir Keir Starmer is considering introducing stricter rules on open-air smoking in areas such as beer gardens and hospitals to reduce tobacco-related deaths, despite accusations of ‘nanny statism’.
In a bid to crack down on schoolchildren becoming addicted to e-cigarettes and prevent littering, ministers will introduce new laws forcing all suppliers in England to get rid of all stocks of single-use items by June 2025 (file image)
Downing Street expects the devolved governments of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to impose the same deadline on single-use vapes such as Elf bars and Lost Mary
Rishi Sunak initially announced plans to ban single-use vapes by January. Labor made no mention of the policy in its election manifesto.
The former Prime Minister acted because of evidence showing that the number of people taking up the habit across all age groups has increased by more than 400 percent since 2012.
More worryingly, recent NHS figures show that a quarter of 11 to 15 year olds in England have tried vaping, with almost one in ten using e-cigarettes regularly.
There are also environmental concerns when it comes to disposable fumes: in 2022, more than 40 tons of lithium will be used in the batteries and thrown away with disposable fumes – enough to power around 5,000 electric vehicles.
Health Minister Andrew Gwynne told The Sun: ‘We know that disposables are the product of choice for the majority of children who vape today. By banning them, they stay out of the hands of vulnerable young people.’
Environment Minister Mary Creagh added: ‘Single-use evaporators waste precious resources and destroy our towns, parks and cities.’
The NHS has traditionally recommended vaping to help people quit smoking, which is one of the biggest causes of illness and death in Britain.
About 76,000 people die every year from smoking-related health problems, including heart disease, stroke and cancer.
According to the health department, e-cigarettes are much less harmful and can help people quit smoking for good.
However, the nicotine-filled gadgets have seen a surge in popularity among young people.
Shock data earlier this year showed that a record 11.6 percent of 11 to 17-year-olds in Britain have now tried vaping. This is an increase from 7.7 percent last year and twice as high as a decade ago, before the UK’s child vaping epidemic broke out
A 2023 health report from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development shows that 12.7 percent of Britons over the age of 15 smoke cigarettes daily, far more than in the US and New Zealand
One in five high school students has now tried vaping, according to data from the School Health Research Network, released in September 2023.
According to Trading Standards, children as young as eight have adopted the habit.
Although it is illegal to sell them to under-18s, social media is flooded with posts from teens showing off colored vapes and discussing flavors such as strawberry ice cream, cotton candy and cherry cola.
Despite health heads insisting that vaping is safer than smoking, vaping is not without risk. E-cigarettes contain harmful toxins and their long-term effects remain a mystery.
Some doctors fear a wave of lung disease and even cancer in the coming decades due to vaping.
Experts are also concerned that the high nicotine content could raise blood pressure and cause other heart problems.
Freedom of Information requests revealed that 24 children in England have been hospitalized due to vaping since the start of 2022. This may include lung damage or a worsening of asthma symptoms.
Tests on e-cigarettes seized from young people showed that they contained dangerous levels of lead, nickel and chromium. Some were almost ten times above safe limits. Exposure to lead can hinder brain development, while the other two metals can cause blood clotting
NHS Digital data, based on the Smoking, Drinking and Drugs Among Young People in England Survey for the year 2021, showed that 30 per cent of children in Yorkshire and the Humber have used a vape
A major study found that seven percent of 18 to 24 year olds who have never smoked are now vaping.
Researchers called for making it a “public health priority” to prevent non-smoking children and adults from turning to vaping.
The paper, funded by Cancer Research UK, found that a ban on disposable vapes would affect an estimated 2.6 million adults in England, Wales and Scotland.
Lead author Dr Sarah Jackson from University College London (UCL) said: ‘While banning disposables may seem like a simple solution to reducing vaping among young people, it could have significant unintended consequences for people who smoke.
‘In the event of a ban, it would be important to encourage current and ex-smokers who use disposables to switch to other types of e-cigarettes, rather than returning to smoking tobacco alone.’
Everything you need to know about e-cigarettes
How much nicotine is in an e-cigarette?
There are many different brands of e-cigarettes, with different nicotine levels.
The legal amount of nicotine in an e-liquid capacity in the UK is 20 mg/ml, which is equivalent to between 600 and 800 puffs.
The Elf Bar 600, one of the most popular vapes in the UK, is advertised as being available in nicotine strengths of 0mg, 10mg and 20mg.
How many cigarettes are in an e-cigarette?
The Elf Bar 600 contains the equivalent of 48 cigarettes, analysts say.
It delivers 600 puffs before needing to be thrown away, meaning that in theory every 12.5 puffs equals one cigarette.
Experts say that for many e-cigarettes, 100 puffs are equivalent to ten regular cigarettes.
Elf Bars is a brand of e-cigarettes often sold in trendy colors and with kid-friendly names and flavors, such as blue razz lemonade and green gummy bear
Is vaping better for your health than cigarettes?
According to the NHS, vaping products are considered better than cigarettes because users are exposed to fewer toxins and lower levels.
The health department adds that vaping instead of smoking cigarettes reduces your exposure to toxins that can cause cancer, lung disease and diseases of the heart and circulatory system, such as strokes and heart attacks.
Public Health England, which no longer exists, published an independent expert review in 2015 which concluded that e-cigarettes are around 95 percent less harmful than cigarettes.
However, vaping is not without risk because even though the levels in tobacco products are much higher, e-cigarettes still contain harmful toxins, according to a study by researchers at the Medical University of Silesia in Poland.
And Dr. Onkar Mudhar, a London dentist who posts videos on TikTok, said Elven bars can cause gingivitis, swelling and bleeding.
He said this is because nicotine dries out your mouth and reduces saliva, causing irritation from a buildup of bacteria and food that can’t be washed away.
Nearly 350 hospital admissions were recorded in England in 2022 due to vaping, which are believed to be mainly due to respiratory problems such as shortness of breath, chest pain, pneumonia and, in severe cases, respiratory failure.