British government to ban disposable vapes to protect children’s health

LONDON – British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will announce plans to ban the sale of disposable vapes to prevent their use by children, and reiterate the government’s intention to introduce a law preventing younger generations from buying tobacco.

Under the new powers, there would be restrictions on vape flavours, a requirement for plain packaging, and changes to how vapes, or e-cigarettes, are displayed to make them less attractive to children.

Shops will have to move vapes out of sight of children and away from the sweet counter. Any retailer selling tobacco or vapes to underage customers face “on the spot” fines of up to £2,500 (S$4,257), under the legislation. Vaping alternatives – such as nicotine pouches – will also be banned for children.

Mr Sunak is set to announce on Jan 29 that “alongside our commitment to stop children who turn 15 this year or younger from ever legally being sold cigarettes, these changes will leave a lasting legacy by protecting our children’s health for the long term”.

Smoking is Britain's biggest preventable killer, causing one out of four cancer-related deaths, or some 80,000 a year, the British government says.

In October, Mr Sunak announced plans to pass a law which would mean that

anyone born on or after Jan 1, 2009, would be unable to buy tobacco

in their lifetime.

While vapes are seen as key to helping people quit smoking, there has been concern they could be driving nicotine addiction among young people, with 9 per cent of 11- to 15-year-olds now using them, the British government says.

Disposable vapes have driven the increase. The proportion of 11- to 17-year-old vapers using disposables increasing almost nine-fold in the last two years, it said.

The World Health Organisation said in December that all vape flavours should be banned.

However, industry groups and the UK Vaping Industry Association argue that vapes pose significantly lower health risks than tobacco, and flavours were key in encouraging smokers to switch.

“I have an obligation to do what I think is the right thing for our country in the long term,” Mr Sunak said. “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 flavours, introduce plain packaging and change how vapes are displayed in shops.”

The British government says that along with the health benefits, the ban on disposable vapes would help the environment, as five million are thrown away each week. That, it says, is “equivalent to the lithium batteries of 5,000 electric vehicles”.

Bold action ‘always needed’

The Welsh and Scottish governments will also introduce the ban. The Northern Ireland Assembly is not sitting since the collapse of power sharing two years ago.

In a pre-emptive strike against potential smugglers, £30 million of new funding a year will be provided to bolster enforcement agencies, including the UK Border Force. 

Health professionals welcomed the move.

“Bold action was always needed to curb youth vaping and banning disposables is a meaningful step in the right direction,” said Mr Mike McKean, vice-president for policy at The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health. 

“I’m also extremely pleased to see further much needed restrictions on flavours, packaging, and marketing of vapes.”

But the legislation also has detractors.

“While the state has a duty to protect children from harm, adults must be able to make their own choices,” said Ms Liz Truss, the former prime minister. “Banning the sale of tobacco products to anyone born in 2009 or later will create an absurd situation where adults enjoy different rights based on their birth date. A Conservative government should not be seeking to extend the nanny state.” REUTERS, BLOOMBERG