Latest news with #vape
The Sun
10 hours 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
15 hours 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.
Malay Mail
a day ago
- Health
- Malay Mail
Taiwanese chemists arrested in Brickfields condo drug lab raid, RM3.29m amphetamine vape liquid seized
KUALA LUMPUR, May 30 — Police arrested two Taiwanese men who were operating a laboratory for processing drug-laced vape liquid during a raid on a condominium in Brickfields, here last Wednesday, with a seizure of drugs worth RM3.29 million. Acting Director of the Narcotics Crime Investigation Department (JSJN) Bukit Aman, DCP Mat Zani @ Mohd Salahuddin Che Ali, said the raid at 10:30pm found 20 five-liter plastic containers (jelly cans) and six 0.5-liter plastic bottles containing amphetamine vape liquid. In addition, various equipment for processing drug-laced vape liquid was also found, such as a mixer, heating machine, weighing scale, sealing machine, three glass beakers, one plastic funnel, and 95 empty cartridges believed to be for filling the drug-laced vape liquid. 'Initial technical analysis found that this syndicate is believed to be processing vape liquid containing Amphetamine (Fluoroamphetamine, Paramethoxyamphetamine) which has psychoactive and toxic effects similar to ecstasy on its users. 'The adverse effects of consumption include seizures, liver failure, extreme body temperature, psychosis, brain damage, emotional disturbances, extreme addiction, and even sudden death due to heart attack or respiratory failure,' he said during a JSJN press conference at the Bukit Aman Police Headquarters, here today. Mohd Salahuddin said both suspects, aged 30 and 35, served as chemists and obtained the drug ingredients from China. He said that to ensure their drug-laced vape liquid processing activities were not detected, the syndicate used condominiums with complete security as a place to process and package the illicit substances. 'This premise was rented at RM4,100 per month, and it is believed that they change processing locations every three months, bringing in chemists from Taiwan and recruiting local workers to mislead the authorities. 'Both suspects also played a role in guarding the vape liquid processing site and delivering it to customers. They entered our country using a social visit pass and had entered the country twice, at the beginning of this year and early this month,' he said. He stated that the amphetamine drug-laced vape liquid was sold to the local market at RM180 per cartridge and internationally at around RM400 per cartridge. Meanwhile, he said that urine screening tests found both suspects negative for drugs but had past criminal records in their home country. 'We have checked the past records of both these suspects through our cooperation with the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau (MJIB) and the Criminal Investigation Bureau of Taiwan to trace their past records in their country and assist in the full investigation of this case. 'The results revealed that the first suspect had previously driven under the influence of alcohol and drugs, while the second suspect has various criminal records, including murder, drug trafficking, and firearms,' he said. The case is being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, and action is also being taken under the Dangerous Drugs (Forfeiture of Property) Act 1988, with the seizure of a Honda AFS125 motorcycle belonging to the first suspect, valued at RM7,000. — Bernama
The Sun
4 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
We live on the most deprived high street in the UK – people defecate on the road & gangs leave it a no-go zone after 6pm
IT was once the pride of the community, bustling with shoppers stocking up at the local butcher and grocer before grabbing a cuppa at a nearby cafe. Parliament Road in Middlesbrough was at the heart of a working-class community, in a town once famous for its iron and steelworks. 9 9 But this former thriving stretch is now a shadow of its former self as our high streets slowly turn into ghost towns. A startling new report reveals the extent to which the country's traditional shops have been replaced with takeaways, vape and betting outlets, while banks, department stores and even public toilets disappear. Across the UK, vape shops have surged by an astonishing 1,200 per cent since 2014, while the number of takeaways has risen by 24 per cent. In the half-mile stretch of Parliament Road, The Sun counted 15 fast food outlets, from those selling fish and chips to shawarma and Chinese food, plus two betting units, three corner shops flogging vapes and four shuttered stores. One shopper said: 'It used to be beautiful here, but it all started to go downhill in the 2000s.' Unhealthy lifestyles It's a picture repeated across the UK, as out-of-town shopping centres, discount outlets and online giants kill off the high street. The pandemic was the final nail in the coffin, with many local stores forced to shut their doors for good. Experts also point to a country-wide divide, with three times the number of pawnbrokers and twice the number of vape shops in the north compared to the south. One in ten department stores has vanished in some northern towns, compared with a 12 per cent rise in the south. Inside Britain's WORST benefit blackspot with 'Victorian' poverty levels & drug gangs running riot More than two in ten supermarkets have shut in Yorkshire and the Humber, and poorer northern areas have up to three times more bookies. Authors of the Ghost Town report, compiled by Health Equity North, warn that the state of Britain's high streets is promoting unhealthy life- styles in towns already blighted by unemployment and deprivation. The research team, led by academics from Newcastle and Manchester universities, wants the Government to regulate the number of takeaways, off-licences, vape shops and bookies in high streets — and step in to protect pubs, community centres and libraries where locals can meet. 9 9 Middlesbrough was last year dubbed 'Britain's sickest town', with nearly a third of 16 to 24-year-olds jobless. Local council figures revealed that 71 per cent of over-18s in the area were overweight or obese, while 25 per cent of reception class age children were classed as too heavy. Parliament Road is at the centre of a residential area, with rows of terraced houses shooting off the main thoroughfare. Locals say the once tight-knit community has disintegrated over the years as local shops have vanished. In March this year alone, 23 crimes were reported in the area — ten were violent or sexual offences. Shopper Elizabeth Gray, 40, a carer who lives nearby, told how the area started its decline before Covid. She said: 'I've seen people defecating on the street. It's so run down. 'The street started to decline a while ago, well before Covid, and it's all takeaways and charity shops now. 'It used to be beautiful here. 'There was a butcher's shop, a pram store and a florist. 'Crime is rife now, too. I was burgled and reported it to the police. I've seen people defecating on the street, it's so run down. Elizabeth Grey 'I started spotting kids wearing my children's clothes and saw my ornaments in other people's homes. But the police said they couldn't do anything about it.' Saqib Anwar, who works at the local Food Maestro fast food shop, says some restaurants are shifting up to 500 takeaways a day. The 26-year-old explained: 'It used to be a treat, but now it's all the time. Families are ordering takeaways every single day — for breakfast, lunch and dinner.' Retired barman Brian Mahony, 66, said Parliament Road once had so many shops that locals did not need to go into town. He added: 'It was like a community. We had a butcher and a fruit shop, and you could buy anything you wanted. Now it's takeaways and vape shops. "We were tight-knit here, but there's been a lot of immigration issues and we have gangs of men who stand on the street, chew on sunflower seeds and spit them out on the pavement. 'Lots of elderly people feel intimidated and don't leave their homes after 6pm.' Brian agreed with the report's findings of a north-south divide. 'We feel forgotten' He said: 'Down south, they put more money into high streets and make sure their local food stores keep going so people have fresh food. We feel forgotten about.' Arthur Thompson, 75, who owns The Hardware Store on the ailing street, said: 'It was a lovely high street back in the day. 'Now there are shops selling vapes to children and takeaways selling unhealthy food. We've got a small Tesco Express, but it's expensive and people can't afford to shop there. 'The council tries to support small businesses, but it's been tough since Covid. 'People no longer come to the high street because they're used to shopping online.' The report also reveals that the number of supermarkets in Britain has fallen by ten per cent nationally, while every local authority across the country has lost between nine and 34 per cent of its retail units since 2014. 9 9 9 It has been compounded by the demise of major chains such as BHS and Debenhams. Adam Todd, professor of pharmaceutical public health at Newcastle University, who helped draw up the report, said: 'For generations, the high street has been the beating heart of our towns and cities — places we can go to shop, eat, meet friends and feel part of our communities. 'Today, they feel like a shadow of themselves. Now it's takeaways and vape shops. We were tight-knit here but there's been a lot of immigration issues and we have gangs of men who stand on the street. Brian Mahony 'Community amenities and services such as banks, pharmacies and department stores are vanishing, to be replaced by unhealthy fast food takeaways, vape shops and bookmakers. 'Protecting these spaces for the next generation isn't just about restoring them to some nostalgic vision of town centres past. 'We need to respond to changing habits and offer more pedestrianised and attractive spaces — places where people will want to gather, socialise and enjoy a sense of place.' Big-name shops we have lost WH SMITH is the latest famous name to be erased from Britain's high streets. It will be rebranded TG Jones after hundreds of shops were sold in a £76million rescue deal in March this year. The 233-year-old company offloaded part of its business to Modella Capital, which owns Hobbycraft, but will continue its lucrative travel arm, with shops at airports and railway stations. And it is far from the only big name to face problems or vanish entirely from our ailing high streets over the past decade. WOOLWORTHS THE pick-n-mix giant fell into administration in 2008 and closed its 807 stores in January the following year with £385million of debt. Around 27,000 people lost their jobs. Most of the premises were bought by Poundland and Iceland. DEBENHAMS THE department store left the high street for good in 2021 after struggling to recover from the pandemic. It fell into administration first in 2019 and again the next year when Covid arrived. After initially closing 22 stores, it had hoped to continue trading and reopen some of its 142 shops but was bought out by Boohoo the following year in a £55million deal. TOYS R US THE American brand got into financial trouble in 2018 and shut all of its 100 UK shops as a result. It has now started opening concessions in WHSmith stores. WILKO AROUND 12,500 people lost their jobs when Wilko shut 400 stores in late 2023. It was bought by The Range in a £5million deal which meant shoppers could still buy goods online. THE BODY SHOP THE beauty store was rescued from administration last year after being forced to shut 82 stores. Its remaining 113 shops were bought by growth capital firm Aurea but it has since lost branches in Sheffield and Norwich. ARGOS SHUT 100 of its stores across 2023 and 2024 but has opened pick-up points in Sainsbury's. Co-author Dr Eman Zied Abozied, a research associate at Newcastle University's population health sciences institute, said: 'All over the country, our high streets are becoming less healthy and less welcoming places to visit. 'This trend is only getting worse and it's even more pronounced in traditionally deprived areas. 'The disappearance of amenities such as supermarkets, pharmacies, banks and public toilets particularly affects groups such as women, children and the elderly. 'But what we are seeing impacts all of us. 'The deterioration of our high streets makes our centres feel less safe, less inviting and, ultimately, makes us feel more disconnected as communities.'
Free Malaysia Today
4 days ago
- Health
- Free Malaysia Today
Melaka considers ban on vape sales
Police say more states should ban the sale of e-cigarettes and vapes as they are becoming increasingly linked to the abuse of new synthetic drugs. (Bernama pic) MELAKA : Melaka police are proposing that the state government ban the sale of vape products to curb the threat of synthetic drugs being misused through electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes. Melaka police chief Dzulkhairi Mukhtar said this follows several arrests where vape liquids were found to contain illegal substances like ketamine. He added that the police are increasingly concerned about the rise in the use of vapes among school students and adults, Bernama reported. 'We are still in the process of preparing a proposal for a ban on the sale of vape products that will be submitted in the near future,' he said at the Melaka police headquarters. 'We are doing this because of the health and social issues involved with vaping, especially among teenagers. He added that the proposal will also consider the economic impact if vape sales are banned. Terengganu, Perlis and Kedah have moved to ban the sale of vape products and e-cigarettes, joining Johor and Kelantan which have imposed such a ban for years now. Last week, Negeri Sembilan also said it was considering a ban on the sale of vape products and electronic cigarettes in the state. On May 20, the Selangor government ordered all local councils to seize and remove advertisements related to vape products to curb the use of e-cigarettes. Last month, deputy inspector-general of police Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said more states should ban the sale of e-cigarettes and vapes as they were becoming increasingly linked to the abuse of new synthetic drugs. Ayob said students as young as 13 have been caught using vapes containing substances mixed with drugs, and that fentanyl-laced vape liquids have been found with effects 100 times stronger and more dangerous than morphine.
