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The Independent
16-04-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Disposable e-cigarette ban ‘unlikely' to tackle vaping rates, researchers warn
The forthcoming disposable vapes ban may have a 'limited impact' on the number of people using e-cigarettes, according to researchers. It comes as a study highlighted there has been a 'shift away' from disposable vapes since the ban was announced, with more people opting for refillable and reusable devices. Academics from University College London (UCL) also suggest the rapid rise in e-cigarette use seen in Britain in recent years has 'stalled'. They warned that 'stricter policy options' being reviewed around vapes could stop smokers using the devices to quit cigarettes. The Government announced plans to ban disposable vapes last January, with the measure coming into force on June 1. The Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which is currently working its way through Parliament, also includes powers to potentially restrict the packaging, marketing and flavours of e-cigarettes. For the study, funded by Cancer Research UK, researchers looked at the Smoking Toolkit Study, an ongoing survey of adults in England, Wales and Scotland. The team analysed data collected between January 2022 and January 2024, which included responses from 88,611 people. During the two-year period, vaping rates among those aged 16 and over increased from 8.9% to 13.5%. In January 2024, more than four in 10 (43.6%) mainly used disposables, but this had fallen to less than a third (29.4%) a year later. The decline was steeper among 16 to 24-year-olds, according to researchers. Lead author Dr Sarah Jackson, of the UCL Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, said: 'Our results also suggest that the Government's ban on disposables, coming into force in June, may have limited impact on vaping rates in general, given that vapers are already moving away from disposable vapes. 'It seems likely that people using these products will move to reusable versions rather than stop vaping completely.' Elsewhere, researchers suggest 'recent increases in vaping prevalence in Great Britain stalled'. The analysis found that between January 2022 and January 2024 vaping rates among adults increased from 8.9% to 13.5%, with rates among young adults rising from 17% to 26.5%. The academics said: 'After the new policy measures were announced in January 2024, trends in current vaping prevalence changed. 'Among both adults and young adults, prevalence was no longer increasing and instead remained relatively stable.' Dr Jackson added: ' Action is likely still required to reduce high vaping rates, but now that the situation has stabilised policymakers may be reassured that it would be sensible to avoid stricter policy options currently under review. 'Some of the options being considered may be more likely to have the unintended consequence of deterring smokers from using vapes to quit smoking.' Professor Jamie Brown, also of the UCL Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, said: 'While it is understandable that policymakers want to take action to reduce vaping among children and never smokers, smoking remains the number one public health priority. 'These findings should reassure policymakers that they can prioritise measures, such as restrictions on marketing, packaging and display, which are least likely to undermine how helpful vapes are for people trying to quit smoking. 'It is important that these measures are introduced alongside other messaging and policies that continue to encourage and support smokers to quit smoking, such as mass media campaigns and the swap to stop scheme.' Commenting on the findings, Caroline Cerny, deputy chief executive of public health charity Action on Smoking and Health (Ash), said: 'This data indicates that the Government's action on vaping is starting to shift both business practices and consumer behaviour. 'That's a positive sign and shows that the planned regulations have potential to tackle the trend in youth vaping. 'At the same time, it's important to strike the right balance: protecting young people while still supporting adults to stop smoking. With well-designed policies, we can achieve both.' Gillian Golden, chief executive of the Independent British Vape Trade Association, said: 'We welcome the good news that many vapers are already moving away from 'disposable', single use devices ahead of the June ban. 'We echo calls by the researchers for regulators to think very carefully about applying further restrictions on vaping before current and forthcoming regulations have fully taken effect. 'Vaping is not recommended for non-smokers, and sales to under 18s have been banned for a decade now. 'Nearly three million people in Britain have successfully quit smoking using vapes in the last five years, and there still are almost six million adults in the UK who could benefit from switching to a proven safer alternative.' A Government spokesperson said: 'This study provides promising evidence that the rise in vaping amongst young people has stalled. The health advice is clear that whilst vapes can be an effective quit aid for adult smokers, children and non-smokers should never vape. 'The landmark Tobacco and Vapes Bill will put an end to the cycle of addiction and disadvantage by creating the first smoke-free generation and stopping the next generation getting hooked on nicotine. 'With five million disposable vapes either littered or thrown away in general waste every week last year, the single-use vapes ban will also crack down on waste and clean up communities.'
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Disposable vape use falling in UK ahead of ban
The popularity of disposable e-cigarettes or vapes has fallen ahead of a UK-wide ban on their sale on 1 June, a study has found. Researchers believe vape users are switching to refillable and rechargeable vapes in anticipation of the ban. The percentage of people aged 16-24 who mainly use disposable vapes has dropped by nearly half in the last year from 63% to 35%, according to University College London (UCL) research. Overall vaping use stalled between January 2024 and 2025 in all adults over 16, after several years of significant growth. The UK government ban on disposable and single-use vapes is aimed at stopping littering as, in most cases, the vapes cannot be recycled and often end up in landfill or pollute natural environments. The ban is also aimed at tackling rising rates of youth vaping and protecting children from harm. The UCL study looked at survey data on vaping habits in England, Wales and Scotland both before and after the ban was announced. The study used data from the Smoking Toolkit Study, which collected data on 88,611 people aged 16 and over. Before the ban, between January 2022 and January 2024, vaping among those aged 16 and over went up from 8.9% to 13.5%. In young adults aged 16-24, usage increased more sharply, from 17% to 26.5%. After the ban was announced, researchers found a decline in the number of vapers mainly using disposable e-cigarettes - in all age groups and particularly among 16-24 year olds. The study only asked vape users about their main choice of device. Dr Sarah Jackson, who works for the UCL Tobacco and Alcohol Research Group and is the lead author of the survey, tells the BBC she thinks "more people are turning to refillable, reusable devices" rather than stopping vaping altogether. "We often see people change their behaviour in response to impending policy changes before they come into action," she adds. Disposable vapes are single-use devices, which come pre-filled with vape liquid, whereas refillable and rechargeable (reusable) devices have a longer shelf-life and are often a cheaper way to vape in the long-term. A reusable vape has vape liquid that can be refilled and a battery that can be recharged. How are the vaping rules changing? Dr Jackson adds that vape manufacturers have also been quick to react to the upcoming ban, with "the most popular" disposable brands producing rechargeable versions of their most popular models. "They're very similar in design, colours, flavours and even price," she says. While Dr Jackson thinks it's too early to tell whether the government's new strategy will deter young people from vaping, she maintains that health legislators face "an issue of balance". "We know it makes sense to do something to try and reduce the vast numbers of young people taking up vaping, but the key public health priority here does remain smoking," she says. "This is vastly more harmful and is killing a lot of people every year, so we need to make sure that any policy measures that are brought in to tackle youth vaping don't put people off using vapes, which are very effective at quitting smoking," she adds.
BBC News
15-04-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Disposable vape use falling in UK ahead of government ban
The popularity of disposable e-cigarettes or vapes has fallen ahead of a UK-wide ban on their sale on 1 June, a study has believe vape users are switching to refillable and rechargeable vapes in anticipation of the percentage of people aged 16-24 who mainly use disposable vapes has dropped by nearly half in the last year from 63% to 35%, according to University College London (UCL) vaping use stalled between January 2024 and 2025 in all adults over 16, after several years of significant growth. The UK government ban on disposable and single-use vapes is aimed at stopping littering as, in most cases, the vapes cannot be recycled and often end up in landfill or pollute natural environments. The ban is also aimed at tackling rising rates of youth vaping and protecting children from UCL study looked at survey data on vaping habits in England, Wales and Scotland both before and after the ban was study used data from the Smoking Toolkit Study, which collected data on 88,611 people aged 16 and the ban, between January 2022 and January 2024, vaping among those aged 16 and over went up from 8.9% to 13.5%.In young adults aged 16-24, usage increased more sharply, from 17% to 26.5%.After the ban was announced, researchers found a decline in the number of vapers mainly using disposable e-cigarettes - in all age groups and particularly among 16-24 year study only asked vape users about their main choice of Sarah Jackson, who works for the UCL Tobacco and Alcohol Research Group and is the lead author of the survey, tells the BBC she thinks "more people are turning to refillable, reusable devices" rather than stopping vaping altogether."We often see people change their behaviour in response to impending policy changes before they come into action," she vapes are single-use devices, which come pre-filled with vape liquid, whereas refillable and rechargeable (reusable) devices have a longer shelf-life and are often a cheaper way to vape in the long-term.A reusable vape has vape liquid that can be refilled and a battery that can be recharged. Dr Jackson adds that vape manufacturers have also been quick to react to the upcoming ban, with "the most popular" disposable brands producing rechargeable versions of their most popular models."They're very similar in design, colours, flavours and even price," she Dr Jackson thinks it's too early to tell whether the government's new strategy will deter young people from vaping, she maintains that health legislators face "an issue of balance"."We know it makes sense to do something to try and reduce the vast numbers of young people taking up vaping, but the key public health priority here does remain smoking," she says."This is vastly more harmful and is killing a lot of people every year, so we need to make sure that any policy measures that are brought in to tackle youth vaping don't put people off using vapes, which are very effective at quitting smoking," she adds.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Disposable vapes ban ‘unlikely' to tackle e-cigarette use
A disposable vapes ban may have a 'limited impact' on the number of people using e-cigarettes, according to researchers. There has been a 'shift away' from disposable vapes since the ban was announced, with more people opting for refillable and reusable devices, a study showed. Academics from University College London (UCL) also suggest that the rapid rise in e-cigarette use in Britain in recent years had 'stalled'. They warned that 'stricter policy options' being reviewed around vapes could stop smokers using the devices to quit cigarettes. The Government announced plans to ban disposable vapes last January, with the measure coming into force on June 1. The Tobacco and Vapes Bill, currently working its way through Parliament, also includes powers to potentially restrict the packaging, marketing and flavours of e-cigarettes. For the study, funded by Cancer Research UK, researchers looked at the Smoking Toolkit Study, an ongoing survey on the smoking habits of adults in England, Wales and Scotland. The team analysed data collected between January 2022 and January last year, which included responses from 88,611 people. During the two-year period, vaping rates among those aged 16 and over increased from 8.9 per cent to 13.5 per cent. In January 2024, 43.6 per cent mainly used disposables, but this had fallen to 29.4 per cent a year later. The decline was steeper among 16 to 24-year-olds, according to researchers. Dr Sarah Jackson, of the UCL Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care and the lead author, said: 'Our results also suggest that the Government's ban on disposables, coming into force in June, may have limited impact on vaping rates in general, given that vapers are already moving away from disposable vapes. 'It seems likely that people using these products will move to reusable versions rather than stop vaping completely.' The academics said: 'After the new policy measures were announced in January 2024, trends in current vaping prevalence changed. Among both adults and young adults, prevalence was no longer increasing and instead remained relatively stable.' Dr Jackson added: 'Action is likely still required to reduce high vaping rates but, now that the situation has stabilised, policymakers may be reassured that it would be sensible to avoid stricter policy options currently under review. 'Some of the options being considered may be more likely to have the unintended consequence of deterring smokers from using vapes to quit smoking.' Prof Jamie Brown, also of the UCL Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, said that despite the 'understandable' desire for action relating to vaping among children, smoking 'remains the number one public health priority'. 'These findings should reassure policymakers that they can prioritise measures, such as restrictions on marketing, packaging and display, which are least likely to undermine how helpful vapes are for people trying to quit smoking. 'It is important that these measures are introduced alongside other messaging and policies that continue to encourage and support smokers to quit smoking, such as mass media campaigns and the Swap to Stop scheme.' Commenting on the findings, Caroline Cerny, the deputy chief executive of public health charity Action on Smoking and Health, said: 'This data indicates that the Government's action on vaping is starting to shift both business practices and consumer behaviour. That's a positive sign and shows that the planned regulations have potential to tackle the trend in youth vaping. 'At the same time, it's important to strike the right balance: protecting young people while still supporting adults to stop smoking. With well-designed policies, we can achieve both.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Disposable e-cigarette ban ‘unlikely' to tackle vaping rates, researchers warn
The forthcoming disposable vapes ban may have a 'limited impact' on the number of people using e-cigarettes, according to researchers. It comes as a study highlighted there has been a 'shift away' from disposable vapes since the ban was announced, with more people opting for refillable and reusable devices. Academics from University College London (UCL) also suggest the rapid rise in e-cigarette use seen in Britain in recent years has 'stalled'. They warned that 'stricter policy options' being reviewed around vapes could stop smokers using the devices to quit cigarettes. The Government announced plans to ban disposable vapes last January, with the measure coming into force on June 1. The Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which is currently working its way through Parliament, also includes powers to potentially restrict the packaging, marketing and flavours of e-cigarettes. For the study, funded by Cancer Research UK, researchers looked at the Smoking Toolkit Study, an ongoing survey of adults in England, Wales and Scotland. The team analysed data collected between January 2022 and January 2024, which included responses from 88,611 people. During the two-year period, vaping rates among those aged 16 and over increased from 8.9% to 13.5%. In January 2024, more than four in 10 (43.6%) mainly used disposables, but this had fallen to less than a third (29.4%) a year later. The decline was steeper among 16 to 24-year-olds, according to researchers. Lead author Dr Sarah Jackson, of the UCL Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, said: 'Our results also suggest that the Government's ban on disposables, coming into force in June, may have limited impact on vaping rates in general, given that vapers are already moving away from disposable vapes. 'It seems likely that people using these products will move to reusable versions rather than stop vaping completely.' Elsewhere, researchers suggest 'recent increases in vaping prevalence in Great Britain stalled'. The analysis found that between January 2022 and January 2024 vaping rates among adults increased from 8.9% to 13.5%, with rates among young adults rising from 17% to 26.5%. The academics said: 'After the new policy measures were announced in January 2024, trends in current vaping prevalence changed. 'Among both adults and young adults, prevalence was no longer increasing and instead remained relatively stable.' Dr Jackson added: 'Action is likely still required to reduce high vaping rates, but now that the situation has stabilised policymakers may be reassured that it would be sensible to avoid stricter policy options currently under review. 'Some of the options being considered may be more likely to have the unintended consequence of deterring smokers from using vapes to quit smoking.' Professor Jamie Brown, also of the UCL Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, said: 'While it is understandable that policymakers want to take action to reduce vaping among children and never smokers, smoking remains the number one public health priority. 'These findings should reassure policymakers that they can prioritise measures, such as restrictions on marketing, packaging and display, which are least likely to undermine how helpful vapes are for people trying to quit smoking. 'It is important that these measures are introduced alongside other messaging and policies that continue to encourage and support smokers to quit smoking, such as mass media campaigns and the swap to stop scheme.' Commenting on the findings, Caroline Cerny, deputy chief executive of public health charity Action on Smoking and Health (Ash), said: 'This data indicates that the Government's action on vaping is starting to shift both business practices and consumer behaviour. 'That's a positive sign and shows that the planned regulations have potential to tackle the trend in youth vaping. 'At the same time, it's important to strike the right balance: protecting young people while still supporting adults to stop smoking. With well-designed policies, we can achieve both.' Gillian Golden, chief executive of the Independent British Vape Trade Association, said: 'We welcome the good news that many vapers are already moving away from 'disposable', single use devices ahead of the June ban. 'We echo calls by the researchers for regulators to think very carefully about applying further restrictions on vaping before current and forthcoming regulations have fully taken effect. 'Vaping is not recommended for non-smokers, and sales to under 18s have been banned for a decade now. 'Nearly three million people in Britain have successfully quit smoking using vapes in the last five years, and there still are almost six million adults in the UK who could benefit from switching to a proven safer alternative.' A Government spokesperson said: 'This study provides promising evidence that the rise in vaping amongst young people has stalled. The health advice is clear that whilst vapes can be an effective quit aid for adult smokers, children and non-smokers should never vape. 'The landmark Tobacco and Vapes Bill will put an end to the cycle of addiction and disadvantage by creating the first smoke-free generation and stopping the next generation getting hooked on nicotine. 'With five million disposable vapes either littered or thrown away in general waste every week last year, the single-use vapes ban will also crack down on waste and clean up communities.'
