United Kingdom: The UK government has stated that disposable vapes will be outlawed in an effort to address the growing number of young people who are starting to vape.
Along with targeting underage sales, measures will also be implemented to stop vapes from being marketed to children.
According to data from the charity Action on Smoking and Health (Ash), 7.6 percent of 11 to 17-year-olds vape frequently or occasionally, up from 4.1 percent in 2020.
“As any parent or teacher knows, one of the most worrying trends at the moment is the rise in vaping among children, and so we must act before it becomes endemic,” UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said in a statement.
It comes after the announcement last year that, in an effort to create a “smoke-free generation,” cigarettes would not be sold to anyone born on or after January 1, 2009.
Although it is already against the law to sell any kind of vape to anyone under the age of 18, the government claims that the alarming rise in youth vaping is primarily due to disposable vapes, which are frequently sold in brighter, smaller packaging than refillable ones.
The National Health Service (NHS) emphasised that although vaping is far less dangerous than smoking, its long-term risks are unknown.
Although nicotine is addictive, the NHS does not view it as one of the most problematic components of cigarettes, the vapour that is inhaled may still contain trace amounts of chemicals found in cigarettes.
Retailers will have six months to put it into effect after the timing is confirmed. Children will not be allowed to use vaping alternatives like nicotine pouches, which are tiny white pouches that are inserted between the gum and the lip. Since the pouches release nicotine without tobacco, under-18s may currently purchase them lawfully.
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