According to a report by BBC on January 29th, the UK government has announced plans to ban the sale of disposable e-cigarettes in the UK to address the increasing use of disposable vape devices among young people.
Although the timing of implementation has not been specified yet, the government intends to enforce this ban using existing environmental protection regulations. Once a timeline is established, retailers will have a six-month transition period to adapt to this change.
For refillable e-cigarettes, the government will tighten regulations to prevent the sale of flavored e-liquids marketed towards children and will require simpler, less attractive packaging. Additionally, stores will be required to place refillable e-cigarettes out of sight of children and away from other potentially enticing products like candies. Further public consultation will be conducted to determine which flavors should be banned and how refillable e-cigarettes should be sold.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will detail the plan during a school visit. In a statement, he noted, “As any parent or teacher concerned about children’s wellbeing knows, one worrying trend is the increase in children using disposable salt nic vape, so we must take decisive action before this trend becomes widespread.”
Recent data indicates a significant surge in underage vaping over the past three years, with the number of children using vapes tripling during this period. Moreover, there has been a noticeable increase in vaping among younger age groups, with 9% of 11 to 15-year-olds currently reported as vape users. The potential long-term health consequences of vaping remain uncertain, and the nicotine present in these devices can lead to severe addiction, often resulting in withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety, difficulty concentrating, and headaches.
While vaping may serve as a cessation aid for adult smokers, it should never be condoned for use by children. Disposable vapes, in particular, have played a pivotal role in the recent surge of youth vaping. The proportion of 11 to 17-year-old vapers using disposable vapes has surged nearly ninefold over the past two years, highlighting the urgency of addressing this issue.
This decision follows a measure announced last year to prohibit the sale of cigarettes to individuals born after January 1, 2009, aiming to achieve a “smoke-free generation.” Despite the current ban on selling e-cigarettes to individuals under 18, the government emphasizes that tiny disposable vape, often sold in smaller, more appealing packaging, are a key driver of the sharp increase in youth vaping.
A practitioner from the e-cigarette market in the UK has revealed that the industry is now aware of this news. Major distributors are adopting a wait-and-see approach, while some small retailers have already begun clearing their inventory by selling off disposable vape products.
On several well-known e-cigarette distribution platforms in the UK, it has been observed that some platforms are offering discounts on disposable vapes wholesale. Additionally, the new products launched by these platforms mainly consist of open-system vapes, pod-system vapes, and e-liquid products, with almost no new disposable vape products being introduced to the market.
The UK market is the second-largest e-cigarette market globally, trailing only behind the United States. In 2023, China’s e-cigarette exports to the UK amounted to approximately $1.4 billion.
