by Disposable vapes have been banned in Britain as part of plans to tackle the rise in young people vaping and protect children’s health.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is due to announce the plan to implement the ban – using powers already in place under the Environmental Protection Act – which is expected to come into effect in late 2024 or early 2025, during a school visit. Monday.
It is part of the Government’s response to its consultation on smoking and vaping, which was launched in October last year.
New data shows the number of children vaping has tripled in the last three years, the Government said, adding that use among younger children is also rising, with 9% of children aged 11 to 15 year old using vapes now.
Disposable vapes are driving the rise in youth vaping, and the number of 11- to 17-year-olds using disposables has increased nearly ninefold in the past two years, he added.
New powers will also be introduced to restrict flavors marketed specifically to children and ensure manufacturers produce simpler packaging and change the way vapes are displayed in shops, moving them out of sight of children.
New £100 fines will also be introduced for shops in England and Wales that illegally sell vapes to children.
Trading standards officers will be given powers to act “on the spot” to tackle underage tobacco and vape sales. This adds to the maximum fine of £2,500 that local authorities can already impose.
Vaping alternatives – such as nicotine pouches – for children will also be banned.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “As any parent or teacher knows, one of the most worrying trends at the moment is the rise of vaping among children, so we need to act before it becomes endemic .
“The long-term effects of vaping are unknown and the nicotine within them can be highly addictive, so while vaping can be a useful tool to help smokers quit, vapes are not acceptable to market to children.
“As Prime Minister I have a duty to do what I think is right for our country in the long term. That’s why I’m taking bold action to ban disposable vaping – which has fueled the rise in youth vaping – and bring in new powers to restrict vape flavours, introduce plain packaging and change how displayed vape in stores.
“In addition to our commitment to stop the legal sale of cigarettes to children aged 15 and under this year, these changes will leave a lasting legacy by protecting our children’s long-term health.”
The UK Government, together with the Welsh and Scottish governments, is planning to introduce legislation to ban disposable vapes due to their significant environmental consequences, according to the Welsh Government. This includes both nicotine and non-nicotine products.
In Northern Ireland, the decision must be agreed by the Northern Ireland Assembly, which is not sitting after the collapse of powers at Stormont almost two years ago.
The Department of Health for Northern Ireland noted the UK Government’s plans and said: “The Department will make the necessary preparations to allow new ministers and the NI Assembly to decide on the introduction of the regulations in Northern Ireland.”
Under the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, the Government plans to introduce legislation so that tobacco cannot be legally sold to children aged 15 or under – to bring about the “first smoke-free generation”.
Around £30 million of new funding per year will be made available to support enforcement agencies – including Border Force, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and Trading Standards – to implement these measures.
Lynne Neagle, the Welsh Government’s deputy minister for mental health and well-being, said: “We want to do everything possible to stop young people giving up smoking in the first place, prevent youth vaping and to combat the effects of single-use vape. affecting our environment.”
Jenni Minto, Scotland’s public health minister, said: “I have worked closely with Circular Economy Minister Lorna Slater on disposable vapes.
“These are a threat to both public health and the environment – from litter on our streets, to the risk of fire in waste facilities – that’s why we will act according to our commitment in the Program for Government and try to ban them. “
Health Secretary Victoria Atkins said: “Smoking is still the most preventable cause of death in England. Almost every minute of every day someone is admitted to hospital with a smoking-related disease. And it costs society £17 billion every year – putting a huge burden on our NHS.
“That’s why we are driving the way forward through our smoke-free generation plan, which will prevent our children from starting this dangerous habit.
“The health advice is clear, vapes should only be used as a tool to quit smoking. But we’re committed to doing more to protect our kids from underage vaping, and by banning disposable vapes we’re preventing kids from being hooked for life.”
Adults should only use vapes as a tool to quit smoking and contribute to an extra 50,000-70,000 quits a year in England, the Government said.
As part of the Government’s Switch to Stop scheme, almost one in five adult smokers in England will have access to a vape kit and behavioral support to help them quit.
Chief Medical Officer Professor Sir Chris Whitty said: “If passed, this legislation would have a major impact on public health for many generations to come.”
The ban also aims to have a positive impact on the environment as five million disposable vapes are consumed every week, up from 1.3 million last year.
Environment Secretary Steve Barclay said: “Disposable vapes are not only often, inexcusably, targeted at children – they also represent a huge and growing stream of hard-to-recycle waste, with almost five million spend every week.
“This historic announcement will be a powerful tool to support our efforts to tackle waste and increase recycling, as well as help create the first smoke-free generation.”
HMRC estimates that the illicit tobacco trade costs the UK economy around £2.8 billion a year in lost revenue – money that should be funding public services.
On Monday, HMRC and Border Force will publish a new illicit tobacco strategy – Outlining the Problem – outlining how it will aim to reduce the illicit tobacco trade and tackle organized crime behind the illicit tobacco trade and disturb her.
The Labor Party has said it will support the ban on disposable vapes and “ensure these important measures are introduced to protect children’s health” but criticized the length of time it has taken.
Shadow health secretary Wes Streeting said: “What took the Government so long? Labor put forward measures to crack down on vapes aimed at children more than two years ago but these were blocked by the Conservatives. Meanwhile, the number of young people evaporating has increased dramatically.
“Labour will not sit back and let a new generation of kids get hooked on nicotine. Of course we will support this ban on disposable vapes.”
Deborah Arnott, chief executive of Action on Smoking and Health, said banning disposable vapes will require “tough enforcement to be effective, as illegal vapes are already flooding the market”.
She added: “It’s great that the Government has updated its strategy to tackle illicit tobacco, but we’re still not taking the same strategic approach to vapes.
“Throwing money at the problem is not enough, stopping illegal vapes at the border, domestically and at the point of sale requires a thoughtful, information-based strategy.”
Dr Mike McKean, vice-president of policy at the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), welcomed the news.
He said: “Bold action has always been needed to curb youth vaping and banning disposables is a significant step in the right direction. I am also very happy to see further, much needed restrictions on flavours, packaging and marketing of vapes, which RCPCH has repeatedly called for.
“The Government needs to set the legislation down quickly to ensure that it can be fully considered in this Parliament. We look forward to seeing more details of these significant plans, particularly in terms of implementation, enforcement and monitoring.”
