Recently a UK-wide ban on disposable vapes has been announced, as part of plans to reduce the number of children vaping.
The government says other measures including plainer packaging for vapes will also help target sales to children.
Vaping is nowhere near, as harmful as smoking cigarettes.
But health experts agree that anyone who doesn’t smoke should not start vaping, mainly children.
Children’s doctors say that vaping may cause long-term damage to young people’s brains, hearts, and lungs. The vapor inhaled contains a small amount of chemicals, including the addictive substance nicotine.
More research is necessary to find out exactly what the health effects are.
Another problem is that illegal vapes are widely available. These are much more likely to contain harmful chemicals or drugs, such as cannabis.
Campaigners also say disposable vapes are wasteful and that the chemicals and materials used to make them, including their lithium batteries, make it hard to dispose of safely.
They can be recycled but only 17% of vapers do so. In the UK every week five million disposable vapes are thrown away
Health Secretary Victoria Atkins said that she was confident the new bill would pass Parliament by the time of the general election, which is expected this year.
In early 2025, the ban would then come into force. Retailers will be given six months to make the changes, once the timing is confirmed.
The government also plans to clamp down on the marketing of all other vapes to children by ending the use of flavors designed to appeal to children, introducing simple packaging, and moving where vapes are displayed in shops – from on the counter to behind it
It is already illegal to sell vapes to individuals who are under 18, but the government also plans to increase fines for retailers who do so.
Early 8% of 11–17-year old’s vape, according to figures from an online survey of 2,000 children by health charity ASH (Action on Smoking and Health). That’s up from 4% in 2020.
It said 20% have tried vaping, with cheap, brightly-coloured disposable vapes driving up the increase from 14% three years ago.
Older teenagers are more likely to have tried vaping or be present vapers.
Vaping is now twice as common as smoking between children.
Many countries have experienced an increase in vaping among children and young individuals.
The US has banned some vape flavours like mint and fruit in certain e-cigarettes.
It also said it would ban products from Juul, one of the country’s most common vaping companies.
Australia has announced e-cigarettes will be available only on prescription, for smokers who want to give up tobacco.
In New Zealand, new rules were brought in last year to ban most disposable vapes and target flavors that appeal to children.
Many other countries, including South Korea, India and Brazil have announced strict vape rules. Others, like China, have announced restrictions.
Cigarettes contain tar, tobacco, and a host of cancer-causing toxic chemicals and are the main preventable cause of illness and death in the UK.
About half of all lifelong smokers will die early, losing on average about 10 years of life.
That’s why individuals who smoke are advised to stop, with vaping seen as the most useful quit tool.
But vaping is not completely harmless, so it’s only recommended for adult smokers.
They are offered free vape kits on the NHS to help them quit as part of its “swap to stop” program. According to research by UCL, more than two million smokers and ex-smokers who use disposable vapes would be affected by a ban,
Thousands of individuals have given up smoking using vaping as an alternative. In the UK Fewer individuals are smokers than ever before, which is around 13%.
