Disposable vapes set to be banned from June 2025

The government has confirmed that the sale of single-use vapes is to be banned in both England and Wales from June in the coming year.

The decision has been made with great thought into protecting children’s health, along with helping the environment, due to the detrimental effects it has on both.

The use of vapes, or known as E-Cigarettes, has significantly increased over time, especially in the most recent few years. Vapes were originally created as an alternative to cigarettes, to help smokers quit smoking to something that seemed to be healthier.

They were seen as a safer counter to cigarettes, due to the fruity flavours and flamboyant colours, which makes them come across as much less harmful than cigarettes, which have a much more unfriendly smell.

However, vapes became common amongst teenage children, as they began to be heavily marketed, e.g. they are on the front counter in all corner shops, along with their flavours, and the effects of nicotine.

Here is what Josh Tranter, 18, thinks on the topic, “I think that the decision to ban the selling of vapes is a smart one, as there are far too many negatives from vapes themselves. Not only are they affecting many teenagers, with an increasing number of them being admitted into hospitals with issues related to vaping, but there are severe environmental affects from them as well.”

Vapes are mainly made of plastic and will have some nicotine inside after use, so they are not allowed to be recycled, meaning they are filling up landfill or being destroyed, which then releases greenhouse gas emissions.

So, the selling of vapes is being banned, but it is highly likely there will be a lot of illegal sales of vapes after the ban is implemented, so there are questions as to how effective the ban is, and was it put in place perhaps too late?