In 2021, vapes went from a small-scale smoking alternative to dominate the UK’s nicotine market.
Now, about half of the vape market is set to become illegal when the government’s disposable vape ban comes into force on Sunday.
It’s part of the government’s plan to create a “smoke-free” generation, which will see disposable vapes banned, fines for underaged vape sales upped, and the minimum smoking age gradually increased.
But some industry experts have warned the unintended consequences of the disposable vape ban could cause significant harm, with limited impact on the creation of a smoke-free generation.
It’s worth noting that concerns about the disposable vape ban have come mainly from the vape industry itself, with other industry bodies more supportive of the measure – many of the letter’s concerns are that the ban doesn’t go far enough and that there aren’t enough ‘nudges’ for Brits to stop smoking entirely.
Arguments against the ban tend to centre around the risk of black-market trading, vape fires from hoarding, and encouragement for people to turn back to cigarettes or hoard disposables.
Mike Salem, UK Country Associate for the Consumer Choice Center (CCC) said that the policy “risks fueling black-market activity”, which is “far harder to regulate and more detrimental to public health”.
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