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For sometime now Brits have been preparing for the disposable vape ban. Well, my nicotine-loving friends, the time has almost come to ditch the disposables and move onto something much more permanent. Or you know, just quit (he says with a Lost Mary disposable in hand).
The new rules forms part of a broader public health and environmental strategy to address rising concerns over access to nicotine products (especially with younger generations) and the growing volume of electronic waste produced by disposable vapes.
Once the ban is in place, it will prohibit the sale and supply of single-use vaping devices across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Government officials are saying the move is designed to protect young people from developing nicotine dependencies.
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The primary reason for the ban lies in safeguarding the health of children and adolescents, alongside addressing mounting environmental issues.
Data from recent years indicates a dramatic rise in younger generations taking up vaping across the UK. In England alone, the proportion of 11 to 17-year-olds who reported using vapes increased from 14 percent in 2020 to approximately 20 percent in 2023, according to Action on Smoking and Health.
As someone who vapes myself, I'm not too ashamed to say the devices make you look like a bit of a tool.
The problem is, disposable vapes are often sold in bright packaging and in sweet, fruit-inspired flavours, making them particularly appealing to kids.
Imagine they made a pack of Benson & Hedges look like some Gummy Bears, kids would flock to them.
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Of course, there's also their environmental impact to consider too. It is estimated that five million disposable vapes are discarded each week in the UK, and many of them not in the right way.
These products typically contain lithium-ion batteries, contributing to the loss of valuable raw materials, making it another reason it's time for them to go.
It's estimated that in 2022 alone, enough disposable vapes were thrown away to have power several thousand electric vehicles.
While the ban has been welcomed by many public health organisations, educators, and parent groups, as you would expect, there has been some opposition.
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You guessed it, people who make and sell disposable vapes. The UK Vaping Industry Association has argued that the prohibition may lead to unintended consequences, such as the emergence of an unregulated black market. £50 Elf Bar, anyone?
It maintains that disposable vapes play a role in helping adult smokers quit traditional tobacco products and that banning them outright may impact this, leading to more returning to traditional tobacco products.
Although the ban specifically targets disposable vapes, it fits into the Tobacco and Vapes Bill (2024–25).
Most notable in the bill is the proposed creation of a 'smoke-free generation', achieved by making it illegal to sell tobacco products to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009.
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Using an incremental approach, the government are looking to effectively phase out legal tobacco sales, creating a completely smoke-free country.
The legislation is scheduled to come into force on 1 June 2025, meaning you've got just one month before you need to find alternatives, or quit.
The ban specifically applies to devices that are neither rechargeable nor refillable. Commonly used products such as the Elf Bar 600 and Lost Mary BM600 fall under this category, and will be illegal to sell.
Reusable vape kits, including pod-based systems and refillable devices, will remain legal under the new rules.
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If you've prepared yourself like a vape loving prepper, any vapes you've already bought before the ban are not illegal to use, it's only illegal for them to be manufactured and sold, so you still have time to stock up before the ban without needing to worry about consequences.
