Brenna Cooper
The UK government has revealed a date has been set for when disposable vapes will be banned - and it's soon.
Discussions around banning or heavily restricting the sale of vapes isn't anything new, however the government has now announced that all disposable and single-use vapes will be disappearing from our shelves.
Which means it's now time to say goodbye to your blue sour raspberry stick.
Concerns over vaping aren't anything new, with the former Conservative government toying with the idea prior to being booted out in the last General Election. However Sir Keir Starmer's Labour Party has since picked up the baton, with the PM announcing during a recent press conference that he plans to 'take action' against smoking.
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“It’s a huge burden on the NHS, and, of course, it’s a burden on the taxpayer. So, yes, we are going to take decisions in this space," he said, while also expressing his concern for the popularity of vapes among children.
These measures are reported to include a restriction on smoking in public areas and changes to how tobacco-based products are marketed in order to deter children and young people from taking up the habit.
“The Tobacco and Vapes Bill will stop vapes from deliberately being branded and advertised to appeal to children, including by regulating flavours, packaging, and changing how and where they are displayed in shops," a government spokesperson told LADbible.
“Ministers are reviewing proposals to restrict the sale and supply of disposable vapes more widely before setting out next steps.”
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As the headline suggests, the current changes will impact single-use vapes, which are the primary vape of choice amongst younger generations - with plans laid out by former PM Rishi Sunak calling disposable vapes a 'key driver behind the alarming rise in youth vaping'. This is backed up by figures which reveal there has been a sharp increase in 18-24-year-olds who have never smoked cigarettes but are choosing to vape.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has confirmed today (24 October) that a ban on sale and supply of single-use vapes in England will come into force on 1 June 2025. All businesses will have until this date to 'sell any remaining stock they hold and prepare for the ban coming into force'.
DEFRA's Circular Economy Minister Mary Creagh explained the reason for clamping down on the sugary vapes was partly environmental.
"That is why we are banning single use vapes as we end this nation’s throwaway culture," she said.
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"This is the first step on the road to a circular economy, where we use resources for longer, reduce waste, accelerate the path to net-zero and create thousands of jobs across the country."