Latest news with #ban
The Sun
19 hours ago
- Business
- The Sun
Vapers vow to start smoking again as disposal e-cigarettes ban comes in TODAY as they moan it ‘won't make a difference'
THAT'S SMOKIN' Countless vape users admitted to stockpiling the disposable products ahead of the ban today VAPE users have vowed to return to smoking as a ban on disposable e-cigarettes came into effect today. Some vapers also moaned that the ban on single-use vapes would fail to make a difference, as users would be able to "find a way" to buy the now-illegal products. 6 6 6 As of today, it is against the law to sell single-use vapes either online or in shops - with the policy being introduced to try and protect children's health and the environment. Reacting to the ban, some vapers have said the ban will just lead them back to smoking, which many of them had initially quit by taking up vaping. Sam Horrocks, 34, from West Bromwich, West Midlands, is one of those people. He said: "I can't be bothered with the hassle of taking out a portable charger on nights out, I'll be back on the fags for sure. "To ban them outright is stupid - I've stockpiled a few but once they are all gone I'll be smoking again I reckon. "They were quick, convenient and easy but messing around with refills and charging up the devices just isn't for me." On top of sending people back to cigarette smoking, some also believe the ban will fail to stop getting vapes in the hands of children and those who are addicted. Scott Lawley, 39, also from West Bromwich, said: "I don't think it will make a difference. "Some dodgy people will find a way of selling them and others will just go to the refills. "If people want their vape or nicotine fix, they will find a way." Countless stores, fearful of losing out on unsellable stock, flogged off their vapes at dirt cheap prices. Many were desperate to clear shelves in order to avoid a hefty fine today, including one - Vapes and Candy in Wolverhampton - which was selling disposable vapes at a fraction of the price charged the month prior. The owner of the store, who did not wish to be named, explained that while his store would be fine with the ban, cornershops could be badly affected. He said: "Vape specialist shops like us will be fine, we have a few shelves of disposables left and that is it. "The cornershops who sell all sorts of cheap disposables will be the part of the market this will affect the most." 6 6 6 Vape Factorie - also in Wolverhampton - even rigged up a wheel of fortune style charity wheel to give people random flavours on the final day disposable vapes were legal to sell. But not all businesses are against the ban, with some saying that it's right for cornershops to be barred from selling the products which are harmful to the environment. Yasser Ali, from Vape Factorie, said: "We are not going to risk a fine so there will not be one disposable vape in the shop from today. "I actually agree with the ban, we sell wholesale and have concentrated on refillable vapes and the liquids for a long time now. "Disposable vapes are bad for the environment, and some of the corner shops which sell them are selling all sorts of things they should not." PEOPLE 'WILL MISS THE CONVENIENCE OF DISPOSABLE VAPES' Vape sellers in Shropshire also said they doubted the ban would improve people's health, fearing it would encourage many to revert to smoking. Liam Humberstone from Totally Wicked Vapes, which has shops in both Telford and Shrewsbury, said: "There are positive and negative aspects to the ban for vapers. "Starting with the most positive, it will be better for the environment, and it will be better for most consumers. "Less positive is that some will miss the convenience of disposable vapes, and so go back to smoking. "Single-use disposables are no more complex to use than lighting a cigarette. "So 'social smokers' that have been picking up a vape instead of 20 cigarettes for a night out might well return to their old ways. "At Totally Wicked we started releasing alternatives to disposable vapes well over two years ago, and the vast majority of our customers had already moved over to them before the ban was announced in 2024. "So while we have had to prepare for the ban this weekend in our own shops, our bigger challenge has been in helping the wholesale convenience and grocery chains we supply get ready for it." Ryan Davies Williams, from Evapo in Shrewsbury, however believes the ban will mean an increase in business. He said: "Instead of throwing away the disposables that people are doing - around eight million a day - I believe it will bring in a lot more business for the pod or refill systems that will help a lot more people quit smoking." Smoking vs. vaping VAPING has been touted as an effective tool to help people quit smoking. Though vaping is substantially less harmful than smoking, the habit isn't completely harmless and comes with its own set of risks. The NHS only recommends it for adult smokers, to support quitting smoking. GP and author Dr Philippa Kaye explained to The Sun that the differences between vaping and smoking - and whether one is better than the other - is "complicated". "In a nutshell, vaping is better than smoking, but breathing air is better than vaping at all." Vaping exposes users to far fewer toxins - and at lower levels - than smoking cigarettes. Switching to vaping significantly reduces your exposure to toxins that can cause cancer, lung disease, and diseases of the heart and circulation like heart attack and stroke. These diseases are not caused by nicotine, which is relatively harmless to health. But research has still linked vaping to a higher risk of failure and lung disease. Health risks of cigarettes Smokers are more likely than nonsmokers to develop heart disease, stroke, and lung cancer Smokers are at greater risk for diseases that affect the heart and blood vessels Smoking can cause lung disease by damaging your airways and the small air sacs Smoking can cause cancer almost anywhere in your body It affects overall health too, such as your mouth, eyes, immune system and fertility Health risks of vaping They can cause side effects such as throat and mouth irritation, headache, cough and feeling sick They could lead to tooth decay They could damage heart health They could cause lung disease They could slow brain development Read more on how vaping can affect your health here. Sources: NHS, CDC Vape users themselves had mixed opinions on the ban, with many focusing on how they would stockpile the disposable products. One customer from Vapes and Candy said yesterday: "I'm buying as many as I possibly can today. "They are so much easier to use than the refillable ones, which involves a lot of faffing around. "It is something else to charge, something to remember to charge before you leave the house. "There is none of that with disposables." Austeja Kiskyte, 18, from Heath Town, Wolverhampton, said she supports the ban, despite being a vape user herself. She said: "I support the ban because you see them on the floor, everywhere - they are bad for the environment. "You see children using them everyday; it is totally normal. "I did use disposable vapes for a few years, but recently have been using a refillable vape for a while now because it is cheaper." Rebecca Meakin, 18, from Wednesfield, West Midlands, has been vaping for four years and said she wasn't even aware of the ban. She said: "I do have a refillable one but the disposable ones are easier. "I did not know there was a ban, it is a shame - I like them. "I was vaping when I was 14 as were a lot of friends." The 4 horrifying things that can happen to your body after vaping VAPES were once hailed as miracle devices to help adults ditch cigarettes. But while the devices don't carry the same risks as tobacco, experts have warned that vaping might not be so harmless after all. Here are five ways vaping could damage young users bodies: 1. It could slow down brain development Vaping nicotine can permanently affect brain development in people under the age of 25, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It said that nicotine consumed during teenage years can harm the parts of the brain that control attention, learning, mood, and impulse control, as well as increase the risk of addiction. 2. It could lead to tooth decay Dr Michael Heffernan, a dentist at The Wessex Dental Specialist Care, said most vapes contain dangerous chemical that can harm your teeth and lead to decay. Puffing on the devices could also lead to mouth dryness, creating an environment in which harmful bacteria can grow. 3. It could damage heart health However, some of the chemicals found in vapes can be damaging to the heart, with the American Heart Association (AHA) stating that vaping is "as harmful to the body's cardiovascular systems as cigarettes". 4. It could cause lung disease Vaping from a young age could leave children with breathing difficulties, with paediatric respiratory consultant Dr Mike McKean saying he'd seen reports of people developing lung disease related to vaping. Researchers from the US also found that young people who vape are more at risk of bronchitis, inflammation of the airways, and shortness of breath. Read more on how vaping can affect your health here.
BBC News
a day ago
- General
- BBC News
'The ban on single-use disposable vapes has convinced me to quit'
A woman who has vaped for more than four years says she will use Sunday's ban on selling single-use disposables as an excuse to finally kick the Hunter said she started vaping before and after she stopped smoking traditional cigarettes, but describes it as "a nasty habit".The 28-year-old, from Nottingham, said the ban on selling some items that comes into force from the start of June is an impetus for quitting hopes it will help her save money and become healthier as a result. "I'm quite excited - I'm happy to have an excuse to finally quit and get away from it," she said."It's a perfect excuse, it's a perfect time, it's a waste of money, and a nasty habit."While one study released last month suggested the use of certain vapes was falling ahead of the ban, some shops in Nottingham have reported bulk-buying of single-use disposables before it becomes Ms Hunter, the temptation to keep coils spare and carry on vaping was never there, and she said she will "go for a run" rather than reach for a vape if she needs to relieve said she hopes the ban will bring "an effective change" in reducing litter and helping the environment, and added it was also helping persuade friends, colleagues and even her father to drop the habit."He's been waiting for an excuse to finish for a while, so he's been waiting for this ban [and] he's been counting down the days so he can say 'oh no, what a shame, now I have to stop'," Ms Hunter said."Pretty much everyone that I know is more than happy to put it down and use this as a final excuse to push them over the edge to quit."
The Sun
2 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Warning that disposable vapes ban ‘will backfire' as threat of £200 fines looms in just hours
EXPERTS have warned that the government's disposable vape ban will backfire. The threat of fines looms with just hours left before disposable vapes are banned across the UK. 4 4 Coming into effect on Sunday June 1, the ban will make it illegal for any retailer to sell single use vapes online or in store. Only reusable vapes will be sold from June 1 with the government crackdown aimed at preventing youths from picking up the habit and protecting the environment. Industry leaders have today warned that the ban will backfire with a slew of unintended consequences expected. Experts shared concerns that the ban will result in the vape losing its original purpose as an aid to quit smoking. Concerns have been raised that after the ban smokers who moved away from cigarettes with the help of vapes will return to the deadly habit. Experts said that without disposable vapes smokers could return to tobacco or, even worse, unregulated vapes. Evidence from the USA and Australia indicates vape bans create a boom in black market, counterfeit vapes being sold. Disposable vapes have been extremely popular with smokers looking to kick the habit because they are as easy to use as a traditional cigarette. Experts said the ban was a "disproportionate response" to youth vaping and environmental concerns. Industry leaders said looking at other options like enforcing existing laws and education should have been considered. Kate Pike, the lead officer for tobacco and vaping at the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, said it was a 'worry' that reusable vapes cost the same as disposables. She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'It's a real worry that people will continue to use them as single-use disposable and therefore it won't help limit the damage to the environment.' 4 Further restrictions on disposable vapes are currently working their way through parliament. The Tobacco and Vapes Bill will see marketing, packaging and flavours of vapes also subject to restrictions when it is introduced. Rogue traders who continue to sell the disposable vapes will face fines of £200 under the new legislation. This can be followed with an unlimited fine or jail time if the trader persists in selling the products. The Sun reported yesterday that retailers were selling off their remaining stock at discounted prices ahead of the ban. Images showed baskets filled with the disposable vapes being sold off in bulk for cheap as retailers scrambled to empty their shelves. There are just hours left before the products will be illegal to sell in stores or online. Experts have warned that the disposable products will soon be replaced with near identical reusable vapes as firms scramble to get new legal models onto shelves. Smoking vs. vaping VAPING has been touted as an effective tool to help people quit smoking. Though vaping is substantially less harmful than smoking, the habit isn't completely harmless and comes with its own set of risks. The NHS only recommends it for adult smokers, to support quitting smoking. GP and author Dr Philippa Kaye explained to The Sun that the differences between vaping and smoking - and whether one is better than the other - is "complicated". "In a nutshell, vaping is better than smoking, but breathing air is better than vaping at all." Vaping exposes users to far fewer toxins - and at lower levels - than smoking cigarettes. Switching to vaping significantly reduces your exposure to toxins that can cause cancer, lung disease, and diseases of the heart and circulation like heart attack and stroke. These diseases are not caused by nicotine, which is relatively harmless to health. But research has still linked vaping to a higher risk of failure and lung disease. Health risks of cigarettes Smokers are more likely than nonsmokers to develop heart disease, stroke, and lung cancer Smokers are at greater risk for diseases that affect the heart and blood vessels Smoking can cause lung disease by damaging your airways and the small air sacs Smoking can cause cancer almost anywhere in your body It affects overall health too, such as your mouth, eyes, immune system and fertility Health risks of vaping They can cause side effects such as throat and mouth irritation, headache, cough and feeling sick They could lead to tooth decay They could damage heart health They could cause lung disease They could slow brain development Read more on how vaping can affect your health here. Sources: NHS, CDC
Telegraph
2 days ago
- Health
- Telegraph
Disposable vapes ban ‘will backfire'
The Government's disposable vape ban could backfire and cause people to return to smoking, experts have warned. The ban comes into effect from Sunday and will make it illegal for any retailer, from corner shops to supermarkets, to sell the single-use vapes either online or in store. Shops will only be to sell reusable vapes because of concerns about the soaring number of single-use vapes being used in schools and the 'avalanche' of rubbish the devices produce. But industry leaders warned that the ban may have the 'serious unintended consequence' of losing the vape's original purpose as an aid to quit smoking. John Dunne, the director general of the UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA), said: 'Vaping was invented to help adult smokers quit, and disposable products became the most successful vape products to do so because they are simple to use and most closely replicate the sensation of smoking. 'We are concerned that this ban will encourage former smokers who have already transitioned from cigarettes – which kill 220 people every day in the UK – to return to combustible tobacco or opt for unregulated vapes. 'We also have clear evidence from countries including the USA and Australia, showing that black market, counterfeit and illicit vape sales spiked when vape bans and restrictions are introduced.' Simon Clark, the director of the smokers' lobby group Forest, said the products had been popular with smokers trying to quit because they were 'as convenient and easy to use as a combustible cigarette'. 'If you want to encourage more smokers to switch to a potentially less harmful product, it's essential the device is as simple and uncomplicated as possible,' he said. 'The ban is a disproportionate response to youth vaping and environmental concerns that could and should have been addressed by other means, including education and enforcement of existing laws.' Kate Pike, the lead officer for tobacco and vaping at the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, said it was a 'worry' that the reusable vapes cost the same as disposables. 'It's a real worry that people will continue to use them as single-use disposable and therefore it won't help limit the damage to the environment,' she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. Mr Dunne told the programme the ban was 'ill-thought out' and argued that it would have been 'more sensible' to allow vapes to have larger tank sizes to increase the price from around £5 to nearer £15. The ban is being put forward as part of environmental legislation by the Department for Environment. It is separate from the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which is working its way through Parliament and will see further restrictions on the packaging, marketing and flavours of vapes, as well as a ban on anyone born from 2009 onwards being able to buy cigarettes. Figures from the charity Action on Smoking and Health (Ash) suggest the number of vapers in Britain who mainly use single-use devices fell from 30 per cent last year to 24 per cent in 2025, while the use of disposables by 18 to 24-year-old vapers fell from 52 per cent in 2024 to 40 per cent in 2025. Caroline Cerny, the Ash deputy chief executive, said: 'This new law is a step towards reducing vaping among children, while ensuring products are available to support people to quit smoking. It will be up to manufacturers and retailers to ensure customers are informed and able to reuse and recycle their products, securing a real change in consumer behaviour and a reduction in environmental waste.' Disposable vapes are non-refillable and unable to be recharged, and are typically thrown away with general waste in black bins or littered rather than recycled. Even when they are recycled they need to be taken apart by hand, while their batteries are a fire risk to recycling facilities and can leak harmful chemicals into the environment. Rogue traders who continue to sell them risk a fine of £200 in the first instance, followed by an unlimited fine or jail time for repeat offending. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said use among young vapers remained too high, and that the ban would 'put an end to their alarming rise in school playgrounds and the avalanche of rubbish flooding the nation's streets'. Mary Creagh, the circular economy minister, said: 'For too long, single-use vapes have blighted our streets as litter and hooked our children on nicotine. That ends today. The Government calls time on these nasty devices.' James Lowman, the chief executive of the Association of Convenience Stores, said: 'We have been working with retailers, the Government and Trading Standards for months on providing detailed guidance that sets out how to spot non-compliant vapes after the ban comes into force, as well as advising retailers on what they need to do with any stock of disposables left over on June 1. 'We strongly support robust enforcement activity, starting with the businesses that are already openly flouting the rules by selling illicit product and who will continue to sell disposable vapes once they're outlawed. 'It is essential that Trading Standards teams are given the resources they need to get illegal vapes and other products off the streets, as these rogue businesses undermine the work of responsible retailers across the country.' Campaigners have also warned that the waste crisis driven by disposable vapes could continue after a ban comes into force as cheap new models flood the market. Green campaigners say vape producers have been developing new styles that are cheap but meet reusable criteria, meaning they essentially circumvent the ban. Scott Butler, executive director of Material Focus, said: 'Without quick and extensive action, the threat of a 'vapocalypse' remains, and new big puff and pod vape models are already contributing to an environmental nightmare.' He added that vape company design teams have been 'working their socks off to get new legal models on to the market', while the regulatory work was being carried out. 'To most users of these vapes, and shopkeepers even, they may not notice any difference in the old disposable vapes versus the new re-useable ones,' he said.
The Sun
3 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Vape ban sparks panic buying as shops slash prices to beat deadline in just HOURS that could land you with £600 fine
VAPE users have started panic buying in bulk as shops slash prices ahead of the looming ban. Brits could be fined hundreds of pounds when fresh legislation comes into effect on June 1, and it will be illegal for businesses to sell or supply single-use vapes. Both online and in store outfits will be affected by the ban and will include all vapes, regardless of whether they contain nicotine. "The maximum amount those who breach their household waste duty of care could be fined will increase from £400 to £600," the Government website WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) stated. Refillable vapes will still be available after the ban is imposed - but this hasn't stopped users stocking up on single-use ones. Jack Leadbeater, 22, who works at Eco Vape on Exchange Walk in Nottingham, told the BBC people have been "bulk-buying" in response to new legislation. "They've just been bulk-buying, really, making [sure] they can have them for as long as possible after the ban," he said. "With the ones that they're getting, they're just using them and then they don't have to worry about them, they just chuck them away, whereas with the pods and stuff, a lot of people see it as a hassle and they don't really want to go for that." Meanwhile, Douglas Eccles, from Rustic Vapez, agreed with the ban but noted how it's left customers "panicking". "Everyone's panicking thinking all disposables are gone from Sunday, but it's not going to go that way," he said. "A lot of people are bulk-buying them because a lot of shops are doing them really cheap because they know that any stock they've got from Sunday they've got to take off the shelves. "At the end of the day it's business, you don't want to lose out." Teen told he was coughing up 'pints' of blood due to a stomach ulcer caused by kebabs - 'excessive vaping' was to blame The ban comes as figured revealed fourteen per cent of over-16s puffed on e-cigarettes between January 2024 and January 2025 — the same percentage as the previous year. The crackdown will also halt the scourge of plastic littering after five million vapes a week were thrown away in 2023 — quadruple the number from 2022. The move follows mounting fears that more kids are illegally buying disposables, many of which now come in bright packaging with flavours including bubblegum, candy floss and cola. Ministers also want to stop users trashing the environment with the throwaway devices. More than 40 tonnes of lithium, used in the batteries, was thrown out with disposable vapes in the UK in 2022 — enough to power 5,000 electric cars. Scientists believe the ban has recently dented the popularity of single-use vapes. Study author Dr Sarah Jackson said: 'The research cannot tell us why vaping rates have levelled off. "But in the past we have seen changes in smoking habits before a policy change. 'Action is likely still required to reduce high vaping rates. "But now the situation has stabilised, policymakers may be sensible to avoid stricter options that might deter smokers from using vapes to quit.' The University College London study of 88,611 people in England, Wales and Scotland between 2022 and 2025 also found use of disposable vapes last year tumbled. It went from 63 to 35 per cent among young adults. WEEE waste professionals said: "Many people mistakenly believe that vapes can be tossed into their regular bin at home, but they're actually classed as WEEE, which has strict rules for disposal. When vapes are disposed of in household bins, this can lead to fires in bin trucks and at waste management sites, posing a huge risk to workers and the public." The worrying statistics come amid more and more vaping horror stories. A self-confessed "vaping addict" says her habit caused her right lung to collapse twice when she was still in her teens - and left it permanently scarred. Karlee Ozkurt, 20, vaped for five years, after peer pressure at school convinced her to start. Now she fears she won't live past the age of "40 or 50". Karlee claims taking up e-cigarettes was the "worst decision" she ever made and it remains her biggest regret in life. Meanwhile, a man has urged people quit vaping after he was left with a hole in his lung and struggling to breathe. Joseph Lawrence, 25, puffed on e-cigarettes every day for years before being rushed to A&E with an almost collapsed lung. Plus, one parent was horrified when he discovered spiked 'zombie vapes' were being flogged to schoolkids on Snapchat. A youngster was then left in coma, with another "vomiting blood". Other school children have required medical attention after vaping, falling unconscious while experiencing horrifying heart palpitations, and dizziness. What are the new vape laws? Ministers have pledged to crackdown on poorly regulated vapes and e-cigarettes following an explosion in the number of teenagers who use them. New rules for manufacturers and shopkeepers are expected to come into force in 2025. They are set to include: Higher tax rates paid on vapes increase the price and make it harder for children to afford them A ban on single-use vapes in favour of devices that can be recharged A ban on colourful and cartoonish packaging that may appeal to youngsters Tighter controls on flavourings and a ban on unnecessarily sweet or child-friendly ones like bubblegum and candy More regulation on how and where they are displayed in shops, potentially putting them out of sight Harsher penalties for shops caught selling them to under-18s The ban on disposable vapes is part of ambitious government plans to tackle the rise in youth vaping. A report published by Action on Smoking and Health (Ash) found 20.5 per cent of children in the UK had tried vaping in 2023, up from 15.8 per cent in 2022 and 13.9 per cent in 2020. 2
