Disposable vapes are set to be banned in the UK amid concerns the colourful products are being aimed at teenagers under the age of 18.
Disposable vapes are set to be banned in the UK.
British lawmakers are believed to be planning to prohibit the sale of single-use smoking products amid calls from public health campaigners.
According to the Daily Telegraph newspaper, the announcement is expected to come next week as the government believe the colourful products are being aimed at teenagers under the age of 18 – who legally cannot smoke nor purchase them – who go on to become addicted to the nicotine and their fun and fruity flavours.
Last week, The Guardian newspaper reported that five million vapes are tossed out each week across the country – an increase of more than four times from 2022 – a number they obtained from charity Material Focus, who claimed this was the same as eight vapes being chucked away every second and amounting to the same amount of lithium to create 5,000 electric car batteries.
Scott Butler, a spokesperson for the organisation, said: “Single-use vapes are a strong contender for being the most environmentally wasteful, damaging and dangerous consumer product ever made.”
Some pediatric respiratory medical professionals have condemned the government for not acting on warnings of the pitfalls of the items being marketed in zany packing with candy-like flavourings, such as banana milkshake, watermelon and jelly babies with two per cent nicotine.
At the time, Professer Andrew Bush, a consultant at Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals, said: “I am concerned that we are sleepwalking into a public health catastrophe with a generation of children hooked on nicotine.”
In July, politicians called on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to act after other countries, like Germany, New Zealand and France, already have.
Disposable vapes set to be banned in the UK
