Disposable vape ban Scotland explained – what it means for you
The crackdown on the devices, also known as single-use vapes, will come into force on Sunday.
The ban applies across Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
READ MORE: Met Police silent after unlawful seizure of pro-Palestine journalist's property
It means that shops will be banned from selling disposable vapes both online and in-store. However, shops can still sell reusable vapes.
Here's everything you need to know.
What is a disposable vape?
Disposable vapes are single-use and come filled and charged.
They are activated by inhaling, do not have a replaceable coil, and cannot be recharged or refilled.
They are designed to be small and can fit inside a pocket, with the battery only lasting a short while.
Reusable vapes, on the other hand, can be recharged and use pre-filled pods which slot into the device, which are then disposed of once empty in the same way as a disposable vape.
Why have disposable vapes been banned?
The ban, introduced by the previous Tory government, is intended to protect children's health and prevent environmental damage.
The action comes amid worry around the harm the discarded products have on the environment, the risk of fires they pose, and concern that they encourage young people to vape.
READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Edinburgh Pride 2025 as it celebrates 30 years
Disposable vapes are typically thrown away with general waste in black bins or littered rather than taken to a recycling point.
When recycled properly – such as by returning them to a vape shop – disposable vapes are taken to recycling centres where they need to be taken apart by hand. Their lithium-ion batteries can also pose a fire risk to recycling facilities and can leak harmful chemicals into the environment.
What happens if a shop still sells disposable vapes?
In Scotland, any shops who continue to sell disposable vapes risk a £200 fine in the first instance. If that fine is paid within 14 days, it is discounted to £150.
The fine rises by £200 each time a shop is caught.
If the fine is not accepted, or in instances where an enforcement officer does not consider a fine appropriate, the offender can be fined £5000, sentenced to two years in prison, or both.
Individuals are not at risk of prosecution if they are found to be in possession of disposable vapes, unless they are intending to sell or supply them.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
9 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Full cost of failed pandemic- PPE finally revealed after major fraud probe
The Covid counter-fraud commissioner uncovered the £1.4billion figure in the first phase of his investigation into wasteful Tory spending during the Covid-19 pandemic Failed pandemic-era PPE contracts cost the British taxpayer £1.4billion. The Covid counter-fraud commissioner uncovered the figure in the first phase of his probe into wasteful Tory spending during the pandemic. Some £762million is unlikely to ever be recovered, as the Sunday Mirror revealed. These failures saw substandard PPE, including gowns, masks and visors, not inspected for two years, meaning public money could no longer be recouped. Most of the wasted money went on surgical gowns, with more than half (52%) of them being non-compliant. Chancellor Rachel Reeves is now urgently trying to claw back £468million that could still be recovered, which she wants to reinvest in public services and local communities. The next phase of Tom Hayhoe's investigation will look into fraud and error in other pandemic spending programmes such as furlough, bounce-back loans, Business Support Grants and Rishi Sunak 's Eat Out to Help Out scheme. Mr Hayhoe's final report is due to conclude in December. Recovery action has so far resulted in £182million being returned to the public purse, with some PPE suppliers having been referred to the National Crime Agency for suspected fraud. Ms Reeves said: 'The country is still paying the price for the reckless handling of Covid contracts which saw taxpayer pounds wasted and criminals profit from the pandemic. This investigation and plan to recover public money underlines our commitment to ensure that every penny spent during the pandemic is fully accounted for.' The Chancellor confirmed her Covid fraud crackdown at Labour 's annual conference last September. At the time, she said: 'I won't turn a blind eye to rip-off artists and fraudsters. 'I won't turn a blind eye to those who used a national emergency to line their own pockets. I won't let them get away with it. That money belongs in our police, it belongs in our health service, and it belongs in our schools.' In December, she tasked Mr Hayhoe with the job of trying to claw back lost money. The Tory Government has always insisted that it was operating in a crisis, with global PPE shortages driving up prices for kit that was essential for frontline workers. Former Health Secretary Matt Hancock told the Covid Inquiry in March: "I have been subject to enormous amounts of conspiracy theories about what went on here, when in fact what happened was so many people working as hard as they could to save lives, and they bought more PPE as a result. And therefore people are alive who would otherwise be dead."
The Herald Scotland
a day ago
- The Herald Scotland
85% of Aberdeen traders rejected for LEZ retrofit scheme
However, of the 26 businesses who applied for aid, just four were approved. The figures come amidst rising anger over traffic regulations in the city. A legal challenge against the SNP-led council's bus gates is poised to be heard next month, after local residents and business owners raised more than £65,000 to fund the effort. The LEZ and bus gates have sparked anger in Aberdeen. (Image: Josh Pizzuto-Pomaco) Scottish Conservative MSP for North East Scotland Liam Kerr said the sums were evidence of the government's 'pitiful' stance towards businesses affected by the restrictions. In response, Transport Scotland said that the majority of applicants did not meet the necessary criteria for funding. Kerr said: 'Several businesses have already closed since the LEZs went live in Aberdeen, while others are on the brink of their livelihoods being decimated by this draconian scheme. 'Many are relocating their premises or simply avoiding these parts of Aberdeen because the SNP-Lib Dem council have demonised them from coming into our city centre. The Tory MSP added: 'Yet the woeful number of grants issued by the LEZ Retrofit Fund shows the Scottish Government has also shut the door on Aberdeen's business community. 'Rather than punishing motorists, the SNP government, with the council, should focus more on working constructively with businesses to help renew confidence and deliver economic growth.' Kerr submitted a written question in Holyrood to Transport Minister Fiona Hyslop on 21 May. He asked: 'How much of the Low Emission Zone (LEZ) Retrofit Fund has been allocated to be used for businesses in Aberdeen's LEZ since its introduction, and how much of that allocation was distributed to businesses?' Hyslop responded: '26 applications for this funding have been received from businesses in the Aberdeen area. The majority of applications were rejected due to applicants not meeting the eligibility requirements. 'Four applicants were eligible and offered funding, however only two accepted these offers. The amount received by these businesses to support retrofitting of vehicles to meet LEZ standards was £14,066 in total.' Transport Minister Fiona Hyslop (Image: PA/Jane Barlow).Hyslop noted that 'over 98%' of vehicles that upgraded using the scheme were taxis, and most were based in Edinburgh and Glasgow. She added: 'Lower demand retrofit funding in Aberdeen may be attributed to a combination of local taxi licencing conditions and vehicle eligibility, combined with an LEZ exemption for taxis in the city.' According to Transport Scotland, there are a number of requirements which must be met in order for businesses to qualify for financial assistance. First, funds are only available for 'micro businesses and sole traders'. A 'micro-business' is defined as firms that report a turnover of less than £632,000 or a balance sheet of £316,000 or retain nine or fewer full-time employees. Furthermore, the applying business must not have received any other retrofit grants, must have been operational for at least 12 months, must not be registered to reclaim VAT, and must hold a UK business bank account. Glasgow's LEZ has been live since June 2023. (Image: Image taken by Newsquest staff) Several businesses in Aberdeen have blamed traffic regulations for the failure of their firms. Whisky bar CASC, located on the city's Stirling Street, shut in December 2024. Owners Bill and Paul West said at the time: 'The final nail in the coffin was the utterly ridiculous LEZs/bus gates, and the seemingly never-ending construction around the city turning the centre into a no-go zone for many.' The Herald previously reported how taxi drivers in Glasgow struggled to enhance their vehicles after one of the only firms equipped to carry out the necessary repairs suddenly went bust last summer. At the time, 225 taxis were on the road under a temporary exemption while retrofitting was being carried out. In January 2025, Labour MSP Pam Duncan Glancy raised the issue in Holyrood, telling Hyslop: 'Taxi drivers in Glasgow are keen to play their part in the transition to net zero, but at present they struggle to access some support to comply with the low-emission zone in the city.' Read more: Glasgow drivers racked up £1.7m in LEZ fines since 2023, figures show 'Hypocrisy': One third of Glasgow City Council vehicles don't comply with LEZ rules 'Kick in the teeth': Lost Glasgow LEZ court case costs campaigners £130,000 A recent Freedom of Information Request submitted by The Herald found that Glasgow's drivers have been fined around £1.7m since the LEZ scheme two years ago. Likewise, in Aberdeen, drivers have been fined more than £3m since June 2024. A Transport Scotland spokesperson said: 'Eligibility criteria for the LEZ Support Fund is set to ensure funding is available for those most in need of support to adapt to Low Emission Zones. 'The majority of rejected applicants in Aberdeen did not meet the microbusiness/sole trader criteria, were registered to reclaim VAT, or did not provide the required evidence for eligibility. Four applications were rejected as no retrofit solution was available for the selected vehicle. 'Additional factors such as the local licensing of taxis in cities like Aberdeen has meant there was less need for retro-fitting due to lower numbers of non LEZ compliant vehicles, in addition Aberdeen has granted exemptions for wheelchair accessible vehicles which will likely have further reduced grant applications'.
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Farage would plunge UK into 'Liz Truss doom loop' - 10 times he praised ex-PM
The Reform UK leader has repeatedly heaped praise upon the former Tory PM - whose disastrous mini-budget crashed the economy and sent mortgages spiralling Nigel Farage would lock Britain into a "Truss-style doom loop", Labour warned last night. The Reform UK leader has repeatedly heaped praise upon the former Tory PM - whose disastrous mini-budget crashed the economy and sent mortgages spiralling. And today Labour' chair Ellie Reeves accused Reform of plotting £80billion of unfunded spending commitments - and said Mr Farage's poor judgement was "crystal clear." "Praising Liz Truss once could have been a mistake," she told the Mirror. "But the evidence shows he's a Trussite and now wants to inflict her economic chaos on Britain once again." On the day of Ms Truss' mini-budget, September 23 2022, Mr Farage declared it "the best Conservative budget since 1986." And even a year on - after the full damage caused by the mini-budget was clear, Mr Farage continued to praise its architect. "I absolutely, 100% believe in her," he declared in an article about an event she held at the 2023 Tory conference. He said there was much to "admire" about Ms Truss not being afraid to "fight for radical change". And as recently as May, he failed to include Ms Truss in a list of Tory leaders who "broke Britain" in a Reform party leaflet. Ms Reeves added: "It turns out the only way Reform want to reform our economy is by locking us into a Truss-style doom loop, with working people picking up the bill." 10 times Nigel Farage praised Liz Truss 'Today was the best Conservative budget since 1986' - X, 23 September 2022. 'This is the Great British growth rally, starring Liz Truss ... there is a genuine buzz here ... even more importantly, it's the message. It's about helping small business, reducing taxes, and actually getting growth ... I've got to tell you, this is more exciting than anything happening in the conference hall - Youtube, 2 October 2023. 'I absolutely, 100 per cent believe in her', said Nigel Farage, speaking about Liz Truss at Tory Party Conference in 2023 - Telegraph, 2 October 2023. 'In rhetorical terms, I loved it…it was all there…if this was the first, not the thirteenth year of Conservative government, I would have given it three cheers', Farage wrote about one of Liz Truss' speeches as Prime Minister - Telegraph, 5 October 2022. Mr Farage said, of Truss's mini-budget, "Kwarteng was right to cut taxes. Of course, he was right. Right to set up investments zones…and yes, taking a risk - increasing borrowing to do it.' - Express, 29 September 2022. 'Thank goodness Liz Truss now backs onshore gas exploration. She is miles better than Johnson already" - X, 8 April 2022. 'Interesting Daily Mail campaign on VAT-free shopping for tourists. Kwasi wanted to do that. He and Truss did have some good ideas' - X, 24 April 2023. 'Farage said there was much to 'admire' about how Truss was not afraid to 'fight for radical change' ... I think this woman has shown - in some areas - she is prepared to show up, take the abuse and fight for radical change and that I do admire.' - HuffPost, 2 October 2023. 'Truss may well have been a late convert to all of this but hey that's what she stood up and said so I welcomed much of the budget.' - YouTube, 8 February 2023. Failed to include Liz Truss in a list of Tory leaders who 'broke Britain', suggesting he backs her disastrous policy platform - HuffPost, 13 May 2025.
