The UK is set to ban disposable vapes as part of a nationwide campaign to reduce youth vaping, the British newspaper The Guardian reported.
The government is also seeking to make vaping less appealing to children by restricting sweet and fruity flavors, introducing plain packaging and making displays less prominent in stores, under newly announced powers. The changes are expected to come into effect by the end of this year or early 2025.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said in announcing the move: “As any parent or teacher knows, one of the most worrying trends right now is the rising rates of vaping among children, and so we need to act before it becomes endemic.”
He added: “As Prime Minister, I have a commitment to doing what I believe is the right thing for our country in the long term. That’s why I’m taking bold action to ban disposable vapes – which have driven up rates of youth vaping – and introduce new powers to restrict vape flavors, introduce plain packaging and change the way vapes are displayed in shops.”
The move is part of a wider response to a public consultation on smoking and vaping, which has resulted in plans for some of the toughest anti-smoking measures in the world, which were first revealed by The Guardian, including a ban on selling tobacco products to anyone born in 2018 or after January 1, 2009.
