The ban on single use vapes in the UK took effect yesterday as part of the government’s efforts to crack down on their impact on the environment.
Additionally, public health minister Andrew Gwynne believes the ban will reduce the appeal of disposable vapes to children and reduce the number of young people using them.
The popularity of disposable vapes rose from 2.3 per cent to 31 per cent between 2021 and 2023, an increase mostly driven by young adults, according to a survey by Action on Smoking and Health.
The ban also aims to tackle the many environmental concerns over the high usage of disposable vapes. The vapes are non-recyclable and highly flammable, making waste management extremely hazardous.
However Kultar Singh, owner of a vape shop in Islington, had seen a change in consumer behaviour in anticipation of the ban. “I’ve had customers who are bulk buying to keep the stock,” he said just before the ban took effect.
Kultar also believes the ban will ultimately be futile in preventing kids from using vapes. “There are always other ways of buying it,” he said, adding that “the only good thing coming from it is that they will stop the wastage of the batteries.”
In the meantime, Kultar called on the government to consider the effect of the ban on small business owners. “I’ll have to close my shop,” he said.
The vape industry, in the meantime, has pushed back against the ban, claiming that it increases the risk users turning to illegal markets and the likelihood of vapers going back to smoking cigarettes.
The UK Vaping Industry Association said in a press release that the ban is “setting back the nation’s smokefree 2030 ambitions significantly.”
In the meantime, Kultar has begun to promote new products to offset the loss. “We are offering recharging vape devices, (…) [and] Nic salts liquids that are equivalent to the disposable vape strength.”
