British ministers will try to prevent companies from circumventing a forthcoming law banning disposable vapes by banning trickery such as attaching charging points to them, the Health Secretary has said.
The draft legislation, which is being introduced in parallel with an already announced ban on the sale of tobacco products to anyone born on or after January 1, 2009, would be put together with the help of experts who would try to anticipate possible loopholes, added Victoria Atkins to it.
“We will be listening very carefully to suggestions that big tobacco and other vaping companies will somehow find a way around this,” she told BBC Radio 5.
“The motivation here is to ensure that children and young people are not drawn into this addiction to nicotine, which unfortunately these vapes can do for children and young people.”
Asked about the idea that vape companies could simply add USB charging points to what are still non-refillable and cheap vapes to get around the ban, Artkins said: “That’s incredibly cynical and it shows, if you like, the struggle that the government is prepared to take on.”
The government is also trying to make vaping less attractive to children by limiting sweet and fruity flavours, introducing plain packaging and making displays less visible in shops, under newly announced powers.
The changes, decided after a consultation that saw 70% support for the ban on single-use vapes, are expected to come into effect at the end of this year or early 2025.
Atkins said there is a balance to be struck in terms of reducing the use of vaping by children and young people, without unduly impacting their availability to people who want to use them to give up tobacco.
She added: “We are aware of the impact on the industry and that is why we have that, for example, when it comes to the flavors, the choice of flavors, the packaging and the placement of vapes in stores. We have said that while Parliament grants the powers through the Bill, we will of course discuss how this should be implemented.”
The move is part of a broader response to a public consultation on smoking and vaping, which has resulted in plans for some of the strictest anti-smoking measures in the world.
While vaping can be a useful tool in helping adult smokers quit, doctors are concerned about the unknown long-term effects of vaping on the health of young people and their developing respiratory systems, as well as nicotine addiction, which can cause anxiety, difficulty concentrating, and difficulty concentrating. cause. headache during withdrawal.
Recent figures show how many children have used vapes in the past three years tripled, with 9% of 11 to 15 year olds using vapes. The share of 11- to 17-year-old vapers using disposables has increased almost tenfold in the past two years.
The ban will also reduce the major environmental impact of single-use products, as 5 million vapes are thrown away every week, up from 1.3 million last year.
The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health welcomed the announcement, which follows the campaign launched in June to ban disposable e-cigarettes and introduce marketing restrictions.
Dr. Mike McKean, vice president for policy at the university, said: “Bold action has always been needed to curb youth vaping and banning disposables is a meaningful step in the right direction.”