The government has announced that the sale of disposable vapes will be prohibited in England and Wales starting June 1, 2025. This decision, initially revealed by the previous administration in January but not implemented prior to the general election, aims to safeguard children’s health and mitigate environmental harm.
Ministers have collaborated closely with devolved nations to synchronize the enforcement dates for these bans, with Wales already confirming it will comply. However, industry leaders express concerns that this ban might lead to an increase in illegal sales of vaping products.
According to the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (Defra), there has been a staggering 400% increase in vape usage in England from 2012 to 2023, with 9% of the British public now purchasing and using these items. Notably, the number of individuals vaping without any previous history of smoking has also risen significantly, particularly among young adults.
While it is illegal to sell vapes to anyone under the age of 18, the previous government highlighted that disposable vapes—often packaged in smaller, colorful designs—are a significant factor contributing to the alarming rise in youth vaping. Public health minister Andrew Gwynne stated that banning these products would diminish their appeal to children and protect vulnerable young individuals.
Though vaping is widely regarded as considerably less harmful than smoking, the long-term implications of its use remain uncertain, as noted by the National Health Service (NHS).
The previous government characterized disposable vapes as a “key driver” of increased youth vaping. Additionally, these products pose significant environmental challenges, as they are challenging to recycle and often end up in landfills, where their batteries can leak toxic substances like battery acid, lithium, and mercury. In fact, batteries improperly discarded in household waste lead to hundreds of fires each year in waste collection and processing facilities.
Defra estimates indicate that nearly five million single-use vapes were either littered or discarded as general waste weekly last year, representing a nearly fourfold increase from the previous year. In 2022 alone, discarded vapes contained over 40 tonnes of lithium—enough to power 5,000 electric vehicles.
Mary Creagh, Defra minister focused on waste reduction, condemned disposable vapes as “extremely wasteful,” contributing to litter in urban areas. Priced around £5, disposable vapes are often cheaper upfront compared to refillable kits, which range from £8 to £12. However, when considering long-term costs, refillable options are ultimately more economical.
Countries such as Ireland and Belgium have recently announced plans to ban disposable vapes, while nations like New Zealand, Australia, South Korea, India, and Brazil have already implemented various restrictions.
