UK vapers given three-week warning before new laws come into force
Vapers have been issued a three-week warning ahead of the upcoming changes in the law.
In case you missed it, last year, the British government announced that it looks to ban tobacco in the long-run, while also putting a stop to the sales of disposable vapes.
There's a lot to bear in mind ahead of the introduction of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which will come into effect on 1 June 2025.
To avoid any confusion, the government has mapped out its restrictions, laws, and fines on its website.
What are the rules of the new vaping ban?
From June, retailers across the UK will need a license to sell 'tobacco, vape and nicotine products' of any kind.
Advert
The main talking point from the new law is that all single-use (disposable) vapes, including those with nicotine, will be banned from stores.
Restrictions have also been placed on the flavours, display, and packaging of all types of vapes and other nicotine products.
A vaping tax is also set to be introduced from 1 October 2026, at a rate of £2.20 for every 10ml of liquid.
As well as this, anyone born after 1 January 2009 will be prohibited from buying any tobacco or vape products from June onwards.
This will be done by increasing the smoking age year-by-year.
Who will be affected by the vaping ban?
In addition to those turning 15 this year, the laws put in place are mostly aimed at the businesses supplying tobacco and vaping products.
A government spokesperson previously told LADbible: "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."
The changes will also impact regular disposable vape users, who have been advised to seek reusable alternatives.
What are the penalties for selling disposable vapes and how can it be enforced?
The difference between a disposable vape and a reusable one is that the latter is both rechargeable and refillable.
If a vape is one or the other, or neither, it is considered disposable and it will therefore be illegal to sell.
It will be an offence to sell or supply disposable vapes from June, with government agencies such as Border Force, Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), Office of Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), and Trading Standards working together to enforce these new laws.
Sellers will need a licence, and the ban will be enforced differently in the UK's four nations.
Trading Standards will be enforcing the ban, and in the first instance of catching someone selling vapes, civil sanctions will apply, which could be any of the following:
- A stop notice
- A compliance notice
- A fine of £200
They will have the power to seize any single-use vapes they find, and if someone continues to supply single-use vapes, they may be charged with an unlimited fine, a prison sentence of up to two years, or both.
But it should be noted that someone owning a disposable vape for personal use cannot be penalised, according to PGMA.
Why is the vaping ban being introduced?
Following news of the law's introduction, it was stated by the government that they aim to create a 'world-leading' smoke free generation, with those born after January 2009 banned from buying tobacco products for life.
Last year, the Bill promised 'tougher action to better protect the public, NHS and the economy from the harms of smoking'.
The ban will include the likes of cigarettes, tobacco pouches, and cigars, in hopes of lowering the numbers of smokers in future generations.
Its other aim is to reduce the amount of littering caused by disposable vapes, which can cause fires and risk the safety waste management workers, firefighters, and members of the public.
Joshua Nair