LONDON — Britain will implement a ban on single-use vapes starting in 2025, as part of a government-led initiative to tackle environmental concerns and rising vaping rates among teenagers. The decision was announced by a government minister on October 24, and comes amid growing public health concerns regarding the appeal of disposable vapes to young people.
With their vibrant designs and fruity flavours, vapes have become increasingly popular among young adults. A 2024 survey conducted by the health charity ASH revealed that around one in five children aged 11 to 17 had tried vaping. Although it is illegal to sell nicotine-containing e-cigarettes to individuals under 18, health authorities have raised alarms over the growing prevalence of vaping among minors.
Labour’s culture minister emphasized the urgency of the ban, noting that the number of children using vapes had tripled in the past three years. She also pointed out the environmental damage caused by disposable vapes, many of which end up in landfills.
“We have been increasingly concerned,” she told Sky News. “We hope that this ban will help break the cycle where children are getting into the habit of vaping at younger and younger ages.”
The plan to ban disposable vapes was initially proposed by the previous Conservative government in January 2024, but was delayed until after the July general election, which was won by the Labour Party. Media reports indicate that the ban will come into effect in June 2025.
The UK government’s Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (Defra) did not immediately provide additional details regarding the specifics of the ban. Despite concerns about youth vaping, vapes remain the most popular aid for quitting smoking in the UK. A separate study by ASH in 2024 found that nearly 3 million people in Britain had successfully quit smoking using vapes over the past five years.