Is the UK Right to Ban Disposable Vapes?

Disposable vapes have a number of negative consequences such as encouraging nicotine addiction amongst children and being incredibly damaging to the environment, meaning that a ban can only be a good thing.

The Purpose of Vaping - The original purpose of vapes was to assist smokers in giving up smoking as it was seen as a less harmful option to cigarettes. However, there has been a sharp increase in vaping among non-smokers. From 2016 to 2020, only 0.5% of vapers weren’t regular smokers but by 2024, this had risen to 3.5% with more than half being aged 18-24. Banning disposable vapes would minimise the number of people taking up vaping for reasons other than giving up smoking, particularly because disposable ones are generally targeted at young people who are less likely to have smoked before.

Disposable vapes are a defining image of throwaway culture, having large negative environmental impacts

Protecting the Environment - Disposable vapes are a defining image of throwaway culture, having large negative environmental impacts. Being made from plastic and nearly impossible to recycle, they create huge amounts of waste, and are made from hazardous and polluting materials/chemicals, all detrimental to the environment. With the importance of protecting the environment growing quickly, a ban on disposable vapes would be a simple way to prevent the unnecessary production of waste and the introduction of harmful chemicals into the environment.

Discouraging Use By Young People - It's undeniable that there is a large percentage of children and young people illegally using disposable vapes. Removing the ease and accessibility of disposable vapes leaves them with a more expensive and inconvenient option, reusable vapes, that may encourage young people to stop vaping. With young people deliberately targeted by disposable vaping products, a ban will protect their health.

Disposable vapes provide an important way in which smokers can kick their unhealthy habit and the existing popularity of vaping may mean a ban will create a black market, potentially increasing the dangers of disposable vapes.

Misguided - Arguably, a ban would be inefficient because it is mainly the colourful appeal of packaging that makes disposable vapes appealing to young people. However, these products still allow smokers to choose a healthier option as they try and quit cigarettes so a better option would be to not ban them, while altering packaging and advertising. This would reduce the use by young people but also ensure smokers could still benefit.

Banning vapes opens up the possibility of a black market emerging which won’t result in a significant drop in the number of people vaping but would increase the dangers of vaping

Black Market - Banning vapes opens up the possibility of a black market emerging which won’t result in a significant drop in the number of people vaping but would increase the dangers of vaping. Vapes would no longer be subject to government regulations on the use of materials and chemicals, potentially making them more harmful. Many studies found illegal vapes are prevalent even now and include dangerous substances such as lead, nickel, and chromium.

Relapse of Smokers - While banning vapes is seen as an obvious solution, it can be harmful to adults trying to quit smoking and may even induce relapses for ex-smokers who use disposable vapes. Thus, a ban may not be the right solution if it forces people to get their nicotine hit from cigarettes and if a ban were put in place, it would need to be tied to making sure ex-smokers are aware of alternatives such as reusable vapes.