On Monday, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will announce a plan to ban the sale of disposable vapes to protect children's health and introduce a law preventing younger generation from vaping.
The new regulations would also limit the flavors that might be added to vapes, mandate plain packaging to make them less attractive to children, and make displays less visible in shops.
According to BBC News, the UK government is preparing measures to discourage vaping under 18 years old. The changes are anticipated to take effect at the end of this year or early 2025.
Sunak said in a statement that alongside their commitment to stop children who turn 15 this year or younger from ever being lawfully sold cigarettes, these changes will leave a lasting legacy by protecting children's health for the long term.
He continued, "As prime minister, I have an obligation to do what I think is the right thing for our country in the long term. That is why I am taking bold action to ban disposable vapes - which have driven the rise in youth vaping - and bring forward new powers to restrict vape flavors, introduce plain packaging, and change how vapes are displayed in shops."
According to The Guardian, the action is part of a larger response to a public consultation on smoking and vaping, which led to plans for some of the strictest anti-smoking laws in the world. The measure includes a ban on selling tobacco products to anyone born on or after January 1, 2009.
Although vaping can be a useful tool in helping adult smokers quit, doctors are still worried about the possible permanent health effects of vaping on children and their developing respiratory systems. In addition, it poses a risk of possible nicotine addiction, which can lead to anxiety, difficulty concentrating, and headaches during withdrawal.
Recent data showed the number of children who have used vapes in the last three years has tripled, with 9% of 11- to 15-year-olds now using vapes. In the previous two years, the proportion of 11- to 17-year-old vapers using disposables has increased almost nine-fold.
The ban will also reduce the major environmental impact of disposables since 5 million vapes are thrown away each week, compared to 1.3 million last year.
UK Vaping Industries Speak Out
The UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA) expressed its "dismay" at the ruling, saying it could discourage smokers from using vapes to quit, even if it welcomed on-the-spot powers for enforcement officers to deal with underage sales.
A spokesman stated that effective and proactive enforcement of the legislation, which prohibits the sale of vapes to minors, is the solution to the problem of teenage vaping rather than counterproductive bans and restrictions.
The UKVIA is submitting a plan based on an industry-wide consultation to parliamentarians in February to lawmakers that outlines measures to make it more difficult for rogue traders to sell to minors.
