The UK government has decided to ban disposable vapes to tackle the rise in youth vaping and protect children's health, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak
announced on Sunday (28 January 2024) during a visit to a school.
Official figures revealed that the number of children using vapes has tripled in the past three years, with nine per cent of 11 - to 15-year-olds now affected
by this rising trend.
Disposable vapes are believed to be mainly driving the worrisome rise in youth vaping, with the number of 11- to 17-year-old vapers using disposables estimated
to have increased by almost ninefold in the last two years.
Sunak said: "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.
"The long-term impacts of vaping are unknown and the nicotine within them can be highly addictive, so while vaping can be a useful tool to help smokers quit,
marketing vapes to children is not acceptable."
In response to the concerning surge in youth vaping, the UK government in January announced its decision to ban disposable vapes as a measure to safeguard
the health of children.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak stated that while the long-term impacts of vaping were uncertain, the nicotine present in these products can be highly addictive.
Therefore, he emphasised that "marketing vapes to children is not acceptable."
Now, there's a stronger reason to crack down on vape sales as a new study has revealed that vaping or the use of e-cigarettes may increase the risk of developing
heart failure.
The study, which involved 175,000 adults in the United States, found that those who use e-cigarettes were 19 per cent more likely to develop heart failure over a
four-year period.
Dr Yakubu Bene-Alhasan, lead author of the study, from MedStar Health in Baltimore, underscored that an increasing number of studies are linking e-cigarettes with
harmful effects, suggesting vaping "might not be as safe as previously thought."
With further research, Dr Bene-Alhasan's team plans to uncover "a lot more about the potential health consequences and improve the information out to the public."
British pharmacy chain Superdrug has announced plans to cease the sale of disposable vapes in all its UK and Ireland stores, citing the environmental impact
caused by its disposal and popularity among young people.
The pharmacy retailer will discontinue selling brands like Vuse GO and Flavaah Bars, with plans to completely clear out existing stock by the end of the year, the
company said in statement.
Superdrug, which previously sold 1,300 single-use vapes weekly, expects a potential impact on revenue stemming from this decision. The company has not yet started
selling vapes online.
"This decision was made to safeguard the environment," the company said on Sept.22, highlighting the risk of fires due to improper disposal of vapes, as many of
them contain lithium batteries.
Recently, Australia introduced a new law that restricts the sale of all types of vapes exclusively to pharmacies, as part of an effort to eliminate
recreational vaping nationwide.
Controversially, pharmacies will soon be permitted to sell nicotine vapes without requiring a prescription under this law.
Although this initiative aims to improve national health, it has angered pharmacists, who fear it will ultimately turn their premises into modern-day tobacconists.
"This is just going to create more hassle for me," a senior pharmacist told The Times.
In response to mounting concerns about a new generation becoming addicted to nicotine, the Labor government last Monday implemented a ban on the sale of all vapes,
whether they contain nicotine or not, outside of pharmacies.
Australia has become the first country in the world to enact such a measure.
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has said that it strongly supports the UK government's proposal that individuals born on or after 1 January 2009
should be prohibited from legally purchasing tobacco products.
It has also shown its agreement to several other actions proposed by the Department of Health and Social Care's (DHSC) for 'Creating a Smokefree Generation and
Tackling Youth Vaping' including:
The inclusion of all tobacco products, cigarette papers, and herbal smoking products in the new legislation.
Restrictions on the sale and supply of disposable vapes, and vape flavours.
RPS President, Professor Claire Anderson, said: "Our recommendations reflect a commitment to creating a future free from the harms of tobacco and youth vaping.
It's crucial to prohibit access for the youngest generation, regulate all tobacco-related items, and address the allure of flavoured e-cigarettes."