Latest news with #e-cigarettes
The Sun
a day ago
- Business
- The Sun
Will you get fined if you're spotted using a disposable vape? Everything you need to know as ban comes into force
BRITS could be fined hundreds of pounds following the government's recent disposable vape ban. A ban on single use e-cigs has now kicked in as part of a crackdown to stop kids getting hooked. 3 3 The disposable vape ban has made it illegal for any retailer to sell single single use vapes online or in store after coming into effect on June 1. Only reusable vapes can now be sold as the government aims to prevent youths picking up the habit and protect the environment. But e-smokers may wonder whether they'll be fined if they're seen smoking one of the disposable devices. Under the new legislation, rogue traders who continue to sell disposable vapes will be fined £200. Serial offenders could face criminal charges of an unlimited fine or a prison sentence of up to two years. But these fines only apply to supplying disposable vapes. Those who have stocked up and are still smoking the devices following the ban won't be fined. As a result, online vendors were desperate to avoid being stuck with illegal stock before the deadline leading to huge discounts and fire sales. One site was boasting a "UK Vape Bargain Blast" ahead of the deadline, selling Flavaah Bar disposable vapes for 29p each, down from £5. The popular Elf Bar vapes were also down from a fiver at just 49p. In store outfits also saw users stocking up on single-use vapes. The Sun spoke to Douglas Eccles from Rustic Vapez before the ban was put in place, who agreed with the ban but noted how it left customers "panicking". Disposable vapes will be banned across UK by next summer to stop Britain's kids from getting hooked He said: "Everyone's panicking thinking all disposables are gone from Sunday, but it's not going to go that way. "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." But the ban could backfire with a slew of consequences, according to industry leaders. Experts fear the ban could result in vapes losing their original purpose as an aid to quit smoking. They warn that smokers who used vapes to help kick cigarettes may now return to the deadly habit. Even worse, they could turn to unregulated vapes which can have potentially serious health consequences. Instead, experts say the ban was a "disproportionate response" and looking at existing laws and education should have been considered first. 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.' Industry leaders have also warned that disposable products will soon be replaced with near identical reusable vapes as sellers scramble to get new legal models onto shelves. Additionally, campaigners We Vape said the new law will create a black market that is "impossible to enforce". 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 3
Malay Mail
2 days ago
- Business
- Malay Mail
Vape products regulated under Act 852, says MOH amid confusion over licensing and enforcement
PUTRAJAYA, June 2 — The Ministry of Health (MOH) today reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring strict enforcement and control on the contents and emissions of all types of smoking products to safeguard public health and safety. In a statement today, MOH clarified that the importation, manufacturing and distribution of e-cigarette liquids in the local market are strictly regulated under the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024 [Act 852] The ministry's Disease Control Division stated that the issuance of interim manufacturing licences for such devices falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI), through the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) under the Industrial Coordination Act 1975 and local authority by-laws. MOH noted that under Section 2 of Act 852 and its accompanying regulations and orders, e-cigarette liquids are defined as smoking products and therefore strictly regulated. The ministry also clarified that multiple government agencies are involved in regulating the e-cigarette industry in Malaysia, including the Royal Malaysian Customs Department, which oversees import controls under the Customs (Prohibition of Imports) Order 2008. In addition, safety standard testing for devices is conducted by SIRIM and enforced under the Trade Descriptions (Certification and Marking of Electronic Cigarette Devices) Order 2022, under the Trade Descriptions Act 2011, by the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living. It stated that any decision regarding the import, manufacturing and distribution of e-cigarette liquids is a collective decision made by all relevant government agencies. MOH issued the clarification following media reports on May 28 that U.S.-based vape and e-cigarette company Ispire Technology Inc. had been granted a temporary licence to operate in Senai, Johor. — Bernama
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Disposable vape ban is now in force across the UK... but will shopkeepers abide? MailOnline investigates whether corner shops have halted sales amid Government crackdown
Shopkeepers flouted the new vapes crackdown today by selling single-use e-cigarettes on the first day of a Government ban. MailOnline found that one vape dealer in four was willing to sell the banned disposables to a reporter posing as a customer. They were happy to trade in the sweet-flavoured and brightly-packaged throwaway devices which have been ordered off the shelves to protect children's health and the environment. One trader even checked whether we were from trading standards before selling us a cola-flavoured disposable for £6. Dealers who were abiding by the law which came into force today complained that they stand to lose a fortune in stock they cannot sell. MailOnline toured the vape shops, shisha bars, corner shops and supermarkets of south London just hours after they opened their doors to customers. They face a £200 fine if caught selling the one-use devices blamed for fuelling a boom in youth vaping and a mountain of discarded cases. So popular is the move in Westminster that although the Tories drew up the legislation, Labour took it over and pushed it through after winning last year's General Election. But the MailOnline investigator approached 12 different sellers and was able to buy a one-use device from three. In Catford, south London, a general storekeeper seemed oblivious to his legal duty to sell only multi-use vapes. Asked if he had any disposables left over following the law change, he pointed to a shelf full of colourful boxes and asked: 'Which one?'. He sold us a watermelon-flavoured 20mg/ml Elfbar 600 disposable pod for £5, but we could also have chosen apple peach, grape, banana ice or others. Another storekeeper happily sold us a triple melon-favoured Lost Mary BM600 disposable for £5. Reminded that they were now banned by the Government, he said they were left with stock which they were trying to get rid of. A third shopkeeper in nearby Lewisham told us she was not allowed to sell disposables any more and had cleared her shelves. But she then asked whether we were customers or checking up on whether the ban was being observed. When she realised we were not from the council, she brought out what she said was her last remaining single use vape - a cola-flavoured Lost Mary BM600 priced at £6. In nearby Lee, an employee at Vape Man, which was not breaching the ban, said: 'We've lost lots of business because customers prefer the disposables. 'They like to buy the 600 pods but we can't sell them now so we are going to lose a lot of money. We have stock which we cannot sell. Business is definitely down. 'I'm not angry about it, but I am definitely worried. There is about £1,800 to £2,000 in stock there which we cannot get money back on. 'We don't know what to do with it. We can't send it back and we can't sell it so I guess it will have to be destroyed.' Other shopkeepers said they prepared for the ban by advising customers to switch from disposables to reusables before it came in. One, at Shisha Town, Lewisham, said: 'We told them we were going to have to get rid of the single-use ones and they gradually started switching over.' It is now illegal for businesses to sell or supply single-use vapes, such as Elf bars and Lost Mary, in shops and online. Only devices considered reusable - with a rechargeable battery and replaceable coil - will be allowed. Disposable vapes of varying flavours on sale beneath children's sweets and lollipops in a store close to Birmingham -- January 29, 2024 The law is aimed at protecting the environment and tackling a surge in youth vaping rates, which have soared from 0.8 per cent in 2013 to 7.2 per cent last year. Disposable vapes, known for their variety of flavours and brightly coloured packaging, have become increasingly popular among teenagers. Moreover, an estimated five million single use vapes, which are available to buy at pocket money prices, are thrown away in the UK every week. According to new research by online nicotine retailer, Haypp, 82 percent of disposable vape users planned to stockpile ahead of the ban. Although the crackdown sought to curb use among young people and reduce the litter and environmental impact, stockpiling poses a threat to the environment and the health of young people. Cllr David Fothergill, Chairman of the LGA's Community Wellbeing Board, urged shops to comply with the new ban on single-use vapes, dubbing them a 'blight [on] our streets.' He added: 'We would also urge caution to anyone stockpiling disposable vapes. Failing to store disposable vapes correctly could cost lives, given the significant fire risk they pose.' Yet stockpiling current vapes on the market isn't the only concern, as green campaigners have warned of cheap new models with the same feel, look, and price as disposable vapes, flooding the market. Material Focus, an advocacy group for circular economies, has said vape manufacturers have been developing new styles that are cheap but meet reusable criteria, meaning they essentially circumvent the ban. They added that increasingly popular 'big puff' vapes are cheaper per inhalation than disposable vapes, arguing there there is little incentive for customers to reuse the product. 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. Mr Butler said that while the ban will take some of the most environmentally wasteful products off the market, the UK may need more flexible legislation to tackle challenges around new models and waste. Chief executive of Action on Smoking and Health, Hazel Cheeseman, has said the incoming new rules 'may be insufficient' by themsleves. 'The Government cannot expect leopards to change their spots,' she said. 'If they want a vaping market with products that have minimal impact on the environment, do not appeal to teens and are safe and effective to help adult smokers quit, then further regulations are needed.' Asked on Friday whether the legislation would be enough to stop vape producers flooding the market with similar products, nature minister Mary Creagh said: 'Well let's bring in the ban first. That's what I would say.' Ms Creagh said the Tobacco and Vapes Bill currently progressing through Parliament will look at further restrictions on vape sales and use. 'I'm confident that my colleagues in the Department of Health will not hesitate to use those powers should what we're doing this weekend not achieve the goals,' she said. 'But I'm confident that it is already sparking a conversation among young people… getting them to ask the questions, getting them to understand that there's no such place as 'away' and that these are really difficult to recycle.' She added that most big puff vapes on the market do not have replaceable coils so they are within the scope of the ban. The Government is considering further ways to drive up levels of separately collected electrical waste including vapes as part of reforms to waste electrical and electronic equipment regulations. Under current rules, vape producers already have a legal responsibility to finance their collection for recycling. Vapes contain valuable and critical materials such as lithium and copper that are regularly binned in household waste, and if littered, they can also cause fires and other damaging or toxic impacts on the environment as well as wildlife. To help drive up recycling rates, Material Focus is calling for retailers to make more collection points available as well as the launch of a major communications campaign to drive public awareness about recycling the devices. Mr Butler said: 'The majority of vapers are either unaware of where to recycle their vapes or don't have a good experience of recycling them.'
The Sun
2 days 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
5 days ago
- Health
- BBC News
Disposable vapes ban unlikely to reduce appeal, says campaigner
The ban on single-use vapes is unlikely to reduce the appeal of e-cigarettes to teenagers because re-usable models are so similar to disposables, the head of a campaign group has vapes will be banned in the UK from Sunday in an effort to curb youth vaping rates and reduce electronic Hazel Cheeseman, chief executive of Action on Smoking and Health (Ash), said new reusable vapes are "very similar" to single-use vapes, meaning it is "unlikely [the ban] will have that much impact on the appeal of products". Circular Economy Minister Mary Creagh said the government was "taking action and banning single use vapes to reduce waste and environmental damage". The government has previously said the ban would "reduce the appeal of vapes to children".A quarter of 11 to 15-year-olds have tried vaping and nearly 1 in 10 vape often, according to NHS research from Cheeseman welcomed the legislation as a step towards tougher regulations on vaping products, but said stronger action will be needed to make vaping less appealing to young people who have never smoked. "Teenagers weren't drawn to these products because you could throw them away," she told BBC Breakfast. "They were drawn to them because they were brightly coloured, because they were cheap, and they were really, really available. All of those things will still be true on Sunday."Some reusable vapes have "identical" packaging to their single-use counterparts, are sold at the same price, and give customers little information about how to refill them, she said."The manufacturers are not making it easy for people to change their behaviour."The government's Tobacco and Vapes Bill, a separate piece of legislation, will give ministers the power to take action that "probably will reduce the appeal of these products to teenagers", she said. These actions include regulating the packaging and design of vape products, as well as restricting is substantially less harmful than smoking cigarettes, but it has not been around for long enough for its long-term risks to be known, according to the of this, it is only recommended as a method to help adult smokers quit. 'Big environmental burden' Despite her concerns about its effect on teen uptake, Ms Cheeseman said the disposables ban was "important regulation" that will help ease the "big environmental burden" of five million single-use vapes were thrown away each week in 2023, according to the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (Defra).As well as lithium-ion batteries, vapes contain circuit boards, which can leak toxic compounds if not disposed of properly.A switch to reusable vapes, which can be recharged and refilled with e-liquid, would in theory allow users to keep e-cigarettes for longer without creating some have raised concerns over whether the ban will have this Pike, lead officer for tobacco and vaping at the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, said reusable vapes costing the same as disposables "is a worry"."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 added that there is a "cost benefit" to reusing and recharging a vape, instead of buying a new one, so she hopes fewer vapes will be thrown away. "But it is a potential danger," she Dunne, director general of the UK Vaping Industry Association, said the ban was "ill-thought out".Changing regulations to allow vapes to have larger tank sizes would have been "more sensible", he told the Today programme, as this would have increased prices from "around the £5 range" to up to £10 or £ ban on disposable vapes was first announced under the previous Conservative confirmed it would keep the legislation in October last year, with Defra minister Creagh saying disposable vapes were "extremely wasteful and blight our towns and cities".The government has also previously said banning disposables would "reduce the appeal of vapes to children and keep them out of the hands of vulnerable young people".
