Disposable vapes will be banned to stop children becoming addicted to the devices under government proposals to be unveiled as early as next week.
The Telegraph can reveal that health ministers are preparing to act, having decided that single-use vapes are overwhelmingly targeted at those aged under 18.
Disposable vapes are often sold in bright colours and with flavours such as “bubble gum”. In some shops they are positioned by front counters near sweets.
The decision will be revealed in a consultation issued by the Health Department shortly. It has been pencilled in for next week, though timings could yet slip.
Ministers are understood to have decided not to go a step further and copy Australia by banning all vaping without a prescription, because they have accepted the benefits of e-cigarettes to help smokers to quit.
A senior Whitehall insider told The Telegraph: “Disposable vapes are almost entirely aimed at kids and they are environmentally damaging. There is a wide consensus emerging on the need to act.”
Ministers from Rishi Sunak down have voiced alarm at the scale with which nicotine e-cigarettes have been taken up by children in the UK in recent years.
Back in May the Prime Minister, who has two young daughters, Krishna, and Anoushka, who were aged 12, and 10 at the time, voiced concerns that vape companies were focusing on children.
Mr Sunak said on ITV’s This Morning: “I have two young girls. I’m also worried about that. It looks like they are targeted at kids, which is ridiculous. I don’t want my kids to be seduced by any of these things.”
The Government has a nuanced position on vaping, seeing it as a good alternative for adults who smoke but a habit that has health downsides for those who do not.
Prof Sir Chris Whitty, England’s Chief Medical Officer, has said: “If you smoke, vaping is much safer; if you don’t smoke, don’t vape, and marketing to children is utterly unacceptable.”
A call to evidence was issued last April, with the aim of clamping down on youth vaping.
A new consultation, honing in on specific proposals, will put forward the disposable vape ban.
The ban would apply in England, with other devolved administrations having to set policy for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
A law change would likely be needed, but it remains to be seen if time could be found in Parliament before the next general election, expected in autumn 2024.
Earlier this week it was estimated that 11.6 per cent of 11 to 17-year-olds in Britain had tried vaping, up from 7.7 per cent last year.
-By Ben Riley-Smith and Michael Searles
Between this and Braverman actually wanting to ban Bully XLs I’m feeling a bit uncomfortable with the amount of tory policy I’m agreeing with rn
Absolutely ridiculous things, just smoke cigarettes or don’t bother.
I don’t care how it happens as long as it does. They’re a scourge. But it’s funny how it’s getting pretty close to an election before the tories decide to maybe do something about it.
Followed by ban on tobaco to prevent people from getting addicted?
Maybe alcohol as well?
As someone who buys disposable vapes, banning them can only be a good thing. Taking kids smoking vapes out of the equation, chucking all these batteries into landfill can only end in tears.
Ban disposable vapes because they are shit in every conceivable way, not to “save the children”. kids will just buy discrete refillables. How do I know this? Probs because I used to sell f𝚊gs for 50p a pop when I was 16. If a young’un wants to smoke they will find a way.
Addiction to nicotine’s not a problem until you run out.
Totally agree with this, they’re hellishly addictive.
I’m glad this is happening but I don’t understand won’t the children just buy reusable ones?
10 comments
Disposable vapes will be banned to stop children becoming addicted to the devices under government proposals to be unveiled as early as next week.
The Telegraph can reveal that health ministers are preparing to act, having decided that single-use vapes are overwhelmingly targeted at those aged under 18.
Disposable vapes are often sold in bright colours and with flavours such as “bubble gum”. In some shops they are positioned by front counters near sweets.
The decision will be revealed in a consultation issued by the Health Department shortly. It has been pencilled in for next week, though timings could yet slip.
Ministers are understood to have decided not to go a step further and copy Australia by banning all vaping without a prescription, because they have accepted the benefits of e-cigarettes to help smokers to quit.
A senior Whitehall insider told The Telegraph: “Disposable vapes are almost entirely aimed at kids and they are environmentally damaging. There is a wide consensus emerging on the need to act.”
Ministers from Rishi Sunak down have voiced alarm at the scale with which nicotine e-cigarettes have been taken up by children in the UK in recent years.
Back in May the Prime Minister, who has two young daughters, Krishna, and Anoushka, who were aged 12, and 10 at the time, voiced concerns that vape companies were focusing on children.
Mr Sunak said on ITV’s This Morning: “I have two young girls. I’m also worried about that. It looks like they are targeted at kids, which is ridiculous. I don’t want my kids to be seduced by any of these things.”
The Government has a nuanced position on vaping, seeing it as a good alternative for adults who smoke but a habit that has health downsides for those who do not.
Prof Sir Chris Whitty, England’s Chief Medical Officer, has said: “If you smoke, vaping is much safer; if you don’t smoke, don’t vape, and marketing to children is utterly unacceptable.”
A call to evidence was issued last April, with the aim of clamping down on youth vaping.
A new consultation, honing in on specific proposals, will put forward the disposable vape ban.
The ban would apply in England, with other devolved administrations having to set policy for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
A law change would likely be needed, but it remains to be seen if time could be found in Parliament before the next general election, expected in autumn 2024.
Earlier this week it was estimated that 11.6 per cent of 11 to 17-year-olds in Britain had tried vaping, up from 7.7 per cent last year.
-By Ben Riley-Smith and Michael Searles
Between this and Braverman actually wanting to ban Bully XLs I’m feeling a bit uncomfortable with the amount of tory policy I’m agreeing with rn
Absolutely ridiculous things, just smoke cigarettes or don’t bother.
I don’t care how it happens as long as it does. They’re a scourge. But it’s funny how it’s getting pretty close to an election before the tories decide to maybe do something about it.
Followed by ban on tobaco to prevent people from getting addicted?
Maybe alcohol as well?
As someone who buys disposable vapes, banning them can only be a good thing. Taking kids smoking vapes out of the equation, chucking all these batteries into landfill can only end in tears.
Ban disposable vapes because they are shit in every conceivable way, not to “save the children”. kids will just buy discrete refillables. How do I know this? Probs because I used to sell f𝚊gs for 50p a pop when I was 16. If a young’un wants to smoke they will find a way.
Addiction to nicotine’s not a problem until you run out.
Totally agree with this, they’re hellishly addictive.
I’m glad this is happening but I don’t understand won’t the children just buy reusable ones?