UK city could become first to ban disposable vapes as concerns grows
Disposable vapes are public enemy number one in the UK at the moment.
The nicotine-heavy devices are hugely popular among children and young people despite serious health concerns and fears over their environmental impact.
Just earlier this week, major UK supermarkets were forced to knock the popular Elf Bar 600 from shelves after finding it contained 50 percent more than the UK's legal nicotine limit.
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The current nicotine limit stands at 2ml, or two percent in strength, but a batch of the '#1Best Disposable Vape' was found to contain between 3ml and 3.2ml of liquid nicotine.
According to Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), there has been a major increase in e-cigarette use among 11-17 year olds, particularly with disposable products.
The public health charity is calling Chancellor Jeremy Hunt to pass a £4 tax on single disposable vapes on top of the usual price of £4.99, and to tighten regulations on the product's display and marketing.
There are also huge concerns surrounding the environmental impact of single-use vapes.
Not only are they a major contributor to street litter, but they are a fire risk when they make it to waste facilities.
That's why Dundee is hoping to become the first city in the UK to ban the product altogether.
Campaigners from the Scottish city have been urging Nicola Sturgeon to prohibit the sale of disposable vapes in a pilot scheme that would ideally lead to a nationwide ban.
MSP Mercedes Villalba is leading the call after an hour-long litter pick in Dundee collected more than 60 discarded vapes on the street.
Last year, the Scottish Government passed a ban on most single-use plastics, but disposable vapes weren't included at the time.
Calling for an immediate ban on the devices, Ms Villalba said that Dundee can't 'wait for a lengthy consultation or review' for something to be done about this.
"Dundee has become such a dumping ground for disposable vapes that I am concerned there’s now a genuine public health risk, as well as a risk of environmental degradation," she stated.
"Ministers should announce a pilot scheme to expand the ban on single-use plastics to include disposable vapes and e-cigarettes.
“The potential harm to health, alongside the negative environmental impact, is so severe, that a ban on vapes in Scotland may eventually prove to be the best option.
“However, given that Dundee has become such a hot spot for the dumping of disposable vapes, trialling a ban on disposable vapes for six months to a year, would help inform public policy, ahead of a final decision."
Ali Condon