Latest news with #singleUseVapes
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Disposable vapes are officially BANNED in the UK as government cracks down on cheap nicotine dispensers commonly littered and sold to children
A ban on single-use vapes has today come into force across Britain as the government looks to crack down on waste and the growing number of children hooked on nicotine. Around five million disposable vapes were thrown away each week last year rather than being recycled - sparking major environmental concerns as the batteries can leak waste and cause fires. And a survey commissioned by NHS England last October revealed that around one in ten secondary school pupils were regular users of the devices. The new legislation means vapes must be considered 'reusable' - through being refillable or having a charging port - or they will be classed as illegal. Shops have already begun stocking 'rechargeable' versions of vapes which are retailing for the same price as the disposable offerings. Further moves to raise the age of sale of tobacco products and to regulate the displays, flavours and packaging of reusable vapes are also being taken forward through the Tobacco and Vapes Bill. Nature minister Mary Creagh was asked on Friday whether the new legislation would be enough and said: 'Well let's bring in the ban first. That's what I would say.' '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. '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 large vapes on the market do not have replaceable coils meaning they will fall within the scope of the ban. The government is also 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 cause fires and other damaging or toxic impacts on the environment and wildlife. Major eco organisations last week called on retailers to make more collection points available for the products. Director general of the UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA) John Dunne also called on shop owners to do more. Mr Dunne said: 'This needs joined-up action from across the waste chain and more effort needs to be done to provide consumers with disposal points at the point of use and not just point of sale.' He added that while the UKVIA works to educate consumers on sustainable vape use and recycling initiatives 'more needs to be done'. 'We would encourage the Government to launch a national consumer education which includes responsible disposal of vapes, why vaping is much less harmful than smoking, and warning of the dangers of buying non-compliant products from the black market or other irregular sellers.' According to research by online nicotine retailer, Haypp, 82 per cent of disposable vape users stockpiled ahead of the ban. Cllr David Fothergill, Chairman of the LGA's Community Wellbeing Board, urged shops to comply with the new laws, dubbing vapes 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.'
The Sun
22-05-2025
- Health
- The Sun
Major warning to anyone who vapes as £600 fines to hit in just DAYS for common mistake
VAPE users have been warned they could be fined hundreds of pounds when fresh legislation comes into effect. From June 1, 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. 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. Katie Price caught VAPING on train in front of fuming passengers… before admitting 'it's not the first time' to pals '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." 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.
