Latest news with #vapes
The Independent
8 hours ago
- Health
- The Independent
Farewell to disposable vapes (and hello to my stockpile)
Stockpiling is a real 2025 buzzword, but it's not just the rumblings of World War III that have got people clearing the shelves, for a more imminent threat looms: today is doomsday for disposable vapes. By banning them outright, the government aims to reduce the number of children getting hooked on their flavoursome, nicotine-laced steam, and to protect the environment from their unrecyclable innards. Both are honourable causes, but I'm still annoyed. Historically, I've always been a box of fags kinda girl, and it's important to stress that cigarettes did not always cost £18 nor pints £7.90. I found myself making the shift to vapes two years ago when my friend offered me a blast on a Lost Mary. I only tried it for a laugh after I'd seen Philip Schofield manically chuffing on one (kiwi passion fruit guava flavour, in case you were wondering) in his excruciating post- This Morning resignation interviews. 'They're only a fiver,' my friend grinned at me as I expressed my delight at how sickeningly sweet it tasted. 'And they last for ages.' It's worth noting that at the time of this conversation, we were both 40, thus I cannot deny that teenagers – and regrettably, even younger kids – have probably been having similar conversations. The devil on my shoulder whispers, 'But surely they'll just find something else to smoke now? It's what kids do and have always done.' After all, my dad delights in telling me that he started smoking when he was 10 and you could pick up a four-pack of Dominos for a sixpence. I can see why many people gave up traditional 'cancer sticks' for their exotic little cousins. Not only do they smell nicer but I've found that, since turning to vapes, I smoke less. I can get away with a few puffs on a vape rather than honking a whole cigarette. One vape can last me a month, or even longer. That will change now. I'm not the type to be faffing about with refillable vapes and little bottles of flavoured 'vape juice' and the idea of plugging my vape in next to my phone overnight doesn't really appeal. I'm a spontaneous and sporadic smoker so I expect I will just go back to buying old-fashioned fags – and many people who want to smoke will do the same. Because that's the thing. Until the government bans nicotine products altogether (which it won't, as they generate around £6.8 billion in taxes per year) then people will continue to use them. Over the past two decades, many laws have come in which were meant to deter people like me from sparking up, yet I still do it. As the clock neared midnight on June 30 2007, I enjoyed a last drawn-out drag on a cigarette on the dancefloor at London nightclub Corsica Studios, promising myself (somewhat dramatically) that I would never forget the joy of dancing and smoking indoors at the same time. The following year, the tobacco industry was forced to add gruesome picture warnings to packets, and in 2015, the Standardised Packaging of Tobacco Products Regulations insisted that any remaining brand personality was completely eradicated and replaced with the disgusting sludge brown we know today. In October 2011, cigarette vending machines vanished from pubs and clubs. A year later, nicotine products were hidden at the point of sale, banished behind the doors of a cupboard or squirrelled away in a drawer. For me, the most painful goodbye was to the humble box of 10s in 2016, but for many of my friends, the removal of menthol cigarettes in 2020 prompted tears… and a thriving black market as savvy stockpilers cashed in on people's forbidden cravings for a throat-cooling minty blast. I'm predicting something similar will play out over the next few months. Yesterday, hours before the ban became law, websites had totally sold out of disposable vapes, and panic buying has even spread to brick-and-mortar shops, too. I visited my local vape emporium, Vape Joint, in Woolwich. They had almost totally sold out of single-use vapes, with just three obscure flavours left. Next door, in the newsagent, they were eager to get rid of their remaining stock with some obscene bundle deals. I picked up a smorgasbord of vapes, handing over £30 for 10. Who knows what will play out decades from now? Will it be a show of wealth and status to bring out a platter of box-fresh single-use vapes, piled high like a tower of Ferrero Rocher at the ambassador's party? Perhaps single-use vapes will become as collectable as unboxed 1970s Star Wars toys, generating amazed headlines when a crate of them pops up on Antiques Roadshow in 2055. I know that the ban is for a good reason. Its aim is to protect the most vulnerable members of our society (both human and otherwise). I know that when I'm vaping I am technically sucking on a battery… but they're so delicious. And cheap. And I will miss them.
The Independent
2 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
Warning over environmental ‘vapocalypse' despite ban on disposable versions
The waste crisis driven by disposable vapes could continue after a ban comes into force as cheap new models flood the market, campaigners have warned. Shops and online retailers will be prohibited from selling single-use vapes from Sunday. The crackdown aims to curb their use among young people and reduce the litter and environmental impact. Disposable vapes are non-refillable, unable to be recharged, and are often thrown away with general waste in black bins or littered rather than being recycled. Green campaigners say vape producers have been developing new styles that are cheap but meet reusable criteria, meaning they essentially circumvent the ban. Material Focus, which advocates for circular economies, said increasingly popular 'big puff' vapes are cheaper per inhalation than disposable devices. The group also highlighted pod-based styles, some of which are rechargeable and refillable but remain cheap enough for consumers to have little incentive to reuse them. In many cases the products have a similar look, feel and price to disposable models, the campaigners said. 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. Hazel Cheeseman, chief executive of Action on Smoking and Health, said the incoming regulation on its own 'may be insufficient'. '(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, as she spoke to the PA news agency ahead of a visit to Sweeop Kuusakoski's vape processing facility in Sittingbourne, Kent. '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. 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.' John Dunne, director general of the UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA), 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 said 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.' Claire Shrewsbury, director of insights and innovation at the Wrap charity, said single-use vapes have been a 'huge environmental issue'. 'This ban will help remove disposable vapes while giving people a reusable option,' she added. 'And with businesses which sell vapes legally obliged to provide recycling collections, awareness of this remains limited and needs to be better communicated.'
The Sun
2 days ago
- Health
- The Sun
How sinister armed gangs are selling KIDS vapes spiked with deadly zombie spice drug on Snapchat
Thea Jacobs, Feature writer Published: Invalid Date, AT 6am, officers from Greater Manchester Police burst through the door of the red-brick house. Shouts of 'Police!' echo through the quiet street as they enter the property, searching for the man they suspect of selling deadly vapes to kids via phone app Snapchat. 9 9 They find Omar Abu-Sharkh, 20, at home in Moorside, Oldham — thousands of e-cigs, empty refill bottles and five-litre vats of lethal synthetic drug spice littering the house, along with a machete. He is cuffed, read his rights and bundled into a police van. Cops are hopeful they have smashed the operation. But hours later, the dangerous vapes — touted as containing THC, the psychoactive substance found in cannabis — are for sale again online, tempting kids with popular Tango Ice Blast and Haribo flavours, plus refill vials as big as 200ml. The terrifying truth, however, is that these e-cig liquids have been mixed with something even more volatile than THC. — imported in bulk from China — which can hospitalise smokers after just one puff. 'We are watching' Callous dealers often target kids with popular flavours, and experts fear children will die if they buy a vape containing the potentially deadly chemical mix. Police resume their search for the crooks operating the Snapchat channel and, three warrants later, thanks to the dedicated work of two specially trained digital officers, they find the first suspect's accomplices and shut it down for good. Team leader Detective Sergeant John Schofield told The Sun: 'While we can't say they were deliberately targeting teens, the nature of the packaging, brands, flavours, and use of Snapchat all attract a younger customer. 'For example, Tango Ice Blast flavour is what you'd get your kids at the cinema for a slushy. They were actively choosing flavours that are popular with children. Disposable vapes will be banned across UK by next summer to stop Britain's kids from getting hooked 'These online criminals think they're not being noticed as much because they are not out on the street dealing. 'They can just run it from their bedroom, so they don't feel as visible. 'They've got a certain amount of arrogance, but we are watching — and we do find them.' These online criminals think they're not being noticed as much because they are not out on the street dealing Detective Sergeant John Schofield At court in March this year, Abu-Sharkh pleaded guilty to supplying class B drugs THC and synthetic cannabinoids. Qais Rasul, 20, and Mohammed Jalal Aftab, 20, both also from Oldham, admitted the same crimes. During one of the raids, Sufiaan Ali, 20, of Oldham, hurled a missile. He later pleaded guilty to possession of a readily convertible firearm as well as the drugs charge. All four men are due to be sentenced next week at Manchester crown court. Dan Griffiths, 40, from South Shields, has seen first-hand the damage spice vapes can cause after his 14-year-old son Ash smoked one earlier this month — and collapsed. 'Ash had no idea what was in it,' Dan revealed. 'After a couple of puffs, he collapsed, and his friends were standing there laughing at his reaction. 'Thankfully, a passing nurse saw it and called an ambulance. 'I ran across the estate to get to him. I was worried out of my mind. 'Seeing Ash pass out in the back of the ambulance left me terrified. I had no idea what would happen. 'Since then, he's had six seizures, and we're constantly in and out of the hospital. It's changed his life forever.' 9 9 9 Dealers go to great lengths to meddle with the ingredients in legitimate vapes. The Manchester gang were opening e-cig liquids, removing some, then topping them up to full using spice from China. Other vape bottles they made up themselves with a mix of legitimate liquid and the imported contraband. In a bid to keep their profits out of police hands, Aftab and Ali swapped cash into gold bars and hid them in safety deposit boxes, which cops need an extra warrant to access. Fellow crook Abu-Sharkh had gold coins at home to protect his earnings from the criminal enterprise. Spice is a group name for synthetic cannabinoids, which are meant to mimic the effects of THC, but are far more addictive and dangerous. It has been known to cause psychosis, loss of movement, vomiting, diarrhoea and sometimes seizures. Last year, researchers from Bath University found one in six vapes confiscated in schools was laced with spice, which can cause heart attack s, seizures and psychotic episodes. They tested 596 vapes confiscated from schools in England. Professor Chris Pudney, who carried out the research, said: 'You find spice in three places — prisons, homeless communities and schools. 'They all share the characteristics of having vulnerable people in their population.' On the haul found by Greater Manchester Police, Prof Pudney added: 'If you search for THC vapes on Instagram or TikTok, you will see the same kinds of images. The thing I have not seen before is the labelling with the 'flavours'. 'It points to a development in the distribution strategy and, as already noted, towards a younger age group.' The study also found only one in 100 vapes contained THC. 'Collapse at school' Genuine THC vapes will smell like cannabis and have a gel-like consistency, instead of being odourless and water-like. Spiked vapes have caused hundreds of teens across the country to collapse, with many not realising that they are smoking synthetic cannabinoids, zombie drug spice or, in rare cases, the opioid fentanyl. Ben Davies, the headteacher at St Ambrose Barlow RC High School in Salford, has witnessed the havoc that illegally doctored vapes can cause in teenagers attending his school. 'We've seen kids being given what they think is an innocent, over- the-counter vape, and it contains synthetic cannabinoids or something else,' Ben said. ' Illegal vaping itself is a worry, but with the spiked vapes, we've had children collapse at school and had to call the ambulance. We've had hallucinations, dissociation, collapse, palpitations, all those sorts of things. 'There are symptoms that are sometimes similar to a panic attack, but they are much more severe. 'What troubles me is how easily the children can get access to these vapes, often in some really sinister ways. And we have no idea what is in any of the vapes either — there's no way to really know.' Explaining why spice is dangerous for children and teenagers to use, GP Helen Wall said: 'Spice can cause severe anxiety, paranoia and hallucinations. Psychosis can often occur, leading to violence and risk-taking behaviour. 'Spice is neurotoxic and can often lead to seizures. It also can have profound effects on the heart. Heart rate can be elevated, leading to high blood pressure, chest pain and heart attacks, even in young, fit people. 'Sudden cardiac death has been linked to spice. ' Kidneys can fail and your liver can become impaired, often due to chemicals in the spice that are unknown. Those with asthma may have an attack and become severely breathless. 'Despite all of these nasty effects, individuals quickly gain psychological and physical dependence on the drug — more so than with cannabis. The withdrawal symptoms can be profound. 'Teens getting into spice are more likely to drop out of school, fail exams, become socially isolated and get involved in violent and risk-taking behaviours. 'Teenage brains are still developing, particularly the prefrontal cortex responsible for decision-making and impulse control. 'Spice interferes with this process, potentially leading to long-term thought and emotional consequences.' 9 9 9 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.
BBC News
2 days ago
- Health
- BBC News
Containers full of suspected THC worth £2.5m seized in police raid
About £2.5m worth of a suspected class B drug, used in liquid form to produce illegal e-cigarettes and vapes, has been seized by police at a home in Greater region's police force discovered five containers of a total of 25 litres of suspected pure THC during the raid in Elm Way, Oldham on also found £150,000 in cash, a Sur-ron motorcycle, and other luxury adults and a teenager have been arrested on suspicion of drug production and supply, and possession of criminal property, a Greater Manchester Police spokesman said. All three have been released on bail, he said they discovered a "professional setup" at the property, with a large number of cigarettes and vapes for wholesale and bulk supply after community-led or THC, is a cannabis derivative and a class B controlled drug which is illegal to produce, distribute and possess. Police said the raid followed "community-led intelligence around the illegal production and supply of THC e-cigarettes and vapes across Greater Manchester".It included reports of vapes supplied to children, who reportedly became unwell after using Tom Layton of Greater Manchester Police said: "We're particularly pleased to have been able to seize such a high value of assets from the property. "But most importantly put a stop to the illegal sale and supply of illicit products which can cause harm in our communities."The raid occurred before a nationwide ban on the sale and supply of single-use vapes comes into force on Sunday. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram and watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer.
BBC News
2 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Reporting Illegal Vape Selling
If you are worried about a retailer illegally selling vapes, do not confront them. This is for your own safety, let the authorities handle should report it to Trading StandardsContact your local council's Trading Standards team, who handle enforcement of vape can do this via the Citizens Advice consumer helpline:📞 0808 223 1133 (freephone)💻 Or online at externalYou'll be asked for:Retailer's name and locationWhat you saw or bought (e.g. high-nicotine, oversized, no warnings)Receipts, packaging, or photos if possibleIf a shop is selling to children or teens, include this in your report — it's a serious can contact Crimestoppers anonymously at:📞 0800 555 111 💻or online at external
