Latest news with #WeVape
Daily Mail
17-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Moment vape shop boss in Wes Streeting's constituency ridicules disposables ban during undercover probe
A crackdown on disposable vapes has been branded a 'total farce' as shops in the Health Secretary's own constituency were found still selling the throwaway devices. Investigators were able to buy a pile of contraband in under 20 minutes in Wes Streeting 's Ilford North stronghold, with hundreds of products marked 'disposable' openly displayed and advertised in shop windows. Seven businesses in one street casually advertised and sold the illicit vapes, despite a ban introduced on June 1. Few acknowledged there was any change in the law, with just two out of 20 retailers tested across London turning investigators away. Shopkeepers face a £200 fine if caught selling the one-use devices which have been blamed for a rise in youth vaping and piles of discarded devices on the streets. But there was seemed little sign of Trading Standards teams being allocated to enforcing the ban, nor that products had been hidden or removed from shelves, campaigners carrying out their own new survey say. Under the new law, the only permitted devices are those considered reusable - with a rechargeable battery and replaceable coil. But one retailer told investigators from campaign group We Vape to simply bin reusable devices when done - potentially making a mockery of suggestions the ban could help improve the environment. Shopkeepers face a £200 fine if caught selling the one-use devices which have been blamed for a rise in youth vaping and piles of discarded devices on the streets When asked on camera how to use a rechargeable Big Puff vape - which can contain upwards of 6,000 puffs per device rather than 600 - the shopkeeper replied: 'You can use it, then you can throw it away. 'If you want to reuse it, you can. If not, you can throw it out.' There have also been reports across London of compliant retailers turning investigators away, all the while neighbouring stores were going on selling disposables for as little as £5. Some retailers have appeared prepared to break the law without consequences and gain a competitive advantage, while those obeying risked slumps in footfall and profit. The disposables ban will be followed by the new Tobacco and Vapes Bill, currently working its way through Parliament. This proposes further restrictions on flavours, an advertising ban and a vape licensing scheme for retailers, similar to the system used for selling alcohol. Critics say failures to enforce the disposables law could now further embolden rogue traders and make new elements of the bill more difficult to enforce. Mark Oates, founder of pro-vaping campaign group We Vape, said: 'The disposable ban has been in place for little over a week and it is already a total farce. 'Our investigation shows there are many retailers who do not care about the law because they know the chances of getting caught are almost nil. 'This defiance is the seed of a new black market we will see emerge, which we have warned the government about for a year, so it is only going to get worse. 'The ban will do nothing to stop kids vaping, as they can only be sold to over 18s already, so the Health Secretary needs to tackle rogue traders by starting the vape licensing scheme as soon as possible. 'This will drive funds into Trading Standards and other enforcement agencies, forcing bad actors out of the market. A deposit return scheme would also solve littering concerns. 'If lawmakers cannot get the disposables ban right, how on earth are they going to enforce all of the new regulation brought in under the Tobacco and Vapes Bill? 'The disposables ban was the first big test of government readiness for these regulations and it has been a colossal failure.' Conservative MP Jack Rankin said: 'I share the serious concerns raised by authorities across the UK about the practical challenges of enforcing the Tobacco and Vapes Bill. 'Without proper resources and clarity in implementation, it is becoming increasingly clear this is just bad legislation.' A recent study by former government advisor Richard Sloggett showed up to 200,000 vapers could return to smoking following the disposables ban. Future Health Research Centre said the move risks undermining progress towards a 'smoke-free' Britain if vapers are not supported to maintain their 'quit journey'. Modelling scenarios based on its findings indicate the disposable vapes ban will see between 175,000 and 378,000 people stopping vaping, and between 630,000 and 1.36million people switching to another vaping product. But the smoking rate could increase by between 90,000 and 200,000, adding 0.2 per cent to 0.4 per cent to the overall population smoking rate. Mr Sloggett said: 'The Government has committed welcome and strong action to reduce smoking and tackle youth vaping. 'However these findings show that urgent work is needed to ensure that efforts to reduce youth vaping do not have the unintended consequence of increasing the numbers smoking – particularly amongst younger people. 'The ban also feels like being a missed opportunity, with hundreds of thousands of people soon to be looking for alternatives to disposable vapes but over half saying they will simply switch to another product. 'With the ban looming, the Government now needs to get on the front foot, commit to a national mass media anti-smoking campaign and set out more clearly how it will use its forthcoming regulatory powers through the Tobacco and Vapes Bill to help ensure that those using disposable vapes do not turn to smoking instead.' From June 1, it has been illegal for businesses to sell or supply single-use vapes, such as Elf bars and Lost Mary, in shops and online. The law is aimed at protecting the environment and tackling a surge in youth vaping rates, which have soared from 0.8 per cent in 2013 to 7.2 per cent last year. Disposable vapes, known for their variety of flavours and brightly coloured packaging, have become increasingly popular among teenagers. Moreover, an estimated 5million single use vapes, which are available to buy at pocket money prices, are thrown away in the UK every week. Retailers in England who are caught breaking the law face a minimum £200 penalty or a two-year-prison sentence for repeat offenders. Any single-use e-cigarettes that are found on sale, will be seized by Trading Standards. Rechargeable vapes that are refillable and have a battery and replaceable coil will remain on the market. It will not be illegal to own or be in possession of a single-use vape - with reports that millions of Brits have stockpiled the devices in preparation for the ban. MailOnline revealed this month that nearly 40 per cent of vapers have enough disposable e-cigarettes to last three months. All ages showed interest in stockpiling but it was 45-54-year-olds who led the way, with almost 90 per cent saying they were putting together a collection in preparation. Vapes are not currently subject to an additional tax like tobacco products, although 20 per cent VAT is charged. However, a new vaping duty is being introduced by the government on October 1 next year - to be charged at a flat rate of £2.20 per 10ml vaping liquid. Vape advertising is also set to be banned as part of the government's Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which is currently making its way through parliament. Then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak initially announced the plans to ban disposable vapes in January last year. The former prime minister was acting on evidence that those taking on the habit across all age groups had ballooned by more than 400 per cent since 2012. Moreover, recent NHS figures showed a quarter of 11 to 15-year-olds in England have tried vaping, with almost one in 10 using e-cigarettes regularly. And the highest rates of disposable vape use are among those aged 18 to 24, a survey of 4,393 British adults previously revealed. The NHS has historically recommended vapes to help people quit smoking, which is one of the biggest causes of illness and death in the UK. About 76,000 people die every year from smoking-related health problems, including heart disease, strokes and cancer. E-cigarettes are less harmful and can help people quit smoking for good, according to the health service. However, vaping is not risk free - e-cigarettes contain harmful toxins and their long-term effects remains a mystery. Some doctors fear a wave of lung disease and even cancer in the coming decades due to vaping. Experts are also concerned the high nicotine content might increase blood pressure and cause other heart problems. Freedom of Information requests revealed that 24 children in England were hospitalised due to vaping since the start of 2022. These could include lung damage or a worsening of asthma symptoms. When putting the Tobacco and Vapes Bill before Parliament last November, Mr Streeting told MPs: 'The number of children vaping is growing at an alarming rate and without urgent intervention, we're going to have a generation of children with long-term addiction. 'It is unacceptable that these harmful products are being deliberately targeted at children with brightly coloured packaging and flavours like "gummy bear" and "rainbow burst". 'The Tobacco and Vapes Bill provides the protection that children and young people need to avoid a life imprisoned by addiction. That's why it's so incredibly important it is voted through.' A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson today told MailOnline: 'Our landmark Tobacco and Vapes Bill will help us crack down on rogue retailers by giving trading standards stronger enforcement powers and it includes powers to introduce a retail licensing scheme for tobacco, vaping and nicotine products. 'We are also investing £30million in total this year to tackle the illicit and underage sale of tobacco and vapes, supporting enforcement agencies including Trading Standards, Border Force and HMRC to enforce our rules.'
The Irish Sun
02-06-2025
- Business
- The Irish Sun
Will you get fined if you're spotted using a disposable vape? Everything you need to know as ban comes into force
BRITS could be fined hundreds of pounds following the government's recent disposable vape ban. A ban on Advertisement 3 Disposable vapes are now banned in the UK Credit: Alamy 3 The aim is to prevent youths taking up the habit and to protect the environment Credit: Alamy The disposable vape ban has made it illegal for any retailer to sell single single use vapes online or in store after coming into effect on June 1. Only reusable vapes can now be sold as the government aims to prevent youths picking up the habit and protect the environment. But e-smokers may wonder whether they'll be fined if they're seen smoking one of the disposable devices. Under the new legislation, rogue traders who continue to sell disposable vapes will be fined £200. Advertisement Read more News Serial offenders could face criminal charges of an unlimited fine or a prison sentence of up to two years. But these fines only apply to supplying disposable vapes. Those who have stocked up and are still smoking the devices following the ban won't be fined. As a result, online vendors were desperate to avoid being stuck with illegal stock before the deadline leading to Advertisement Most read in The Sun One site was boasting a "UK Vape Bargain Blast" ahead of the deadline, selling Flavaah Bar disposable vapes for 29p each, down from £5. The popular Elf Bar vapes were also down from a fiver at just 49p. The Sun spoke to Douglas Eccles from Rustic Vapez before the ban was put in place, who agreed with the ban but noted how it left customers "panicking". Advertisement Disposable vapes will be banned across UK by next summer to stop Britain's kids from getting hooked He said: "Everyone's panicking thinking all disposables are gone from Sunday, but it's not going to go that way. "A lot of people are bulk-buying them because a lot of shops are doing them really cheap because they know that any stock they've got from Sunday they've got to take off the shelves." But the ban could backfire with a slew of consequences, according to industry leaders. Experts fear the ban could result in vapes losing their original purpose as an aid to quit smoking. Advertisement They warn that smokers who used vapes to help kick cigarettes may now return to the deadly habit. Even worse, they could turn to Instead, experts say the ban was a "disproportionate response" and looking at existing laws and education should have been considered first. Kate Pike, the lead officer for Advertisement She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'It's a real worry that people will continue to use them as single-use disposable and therefore it won't help limit the damage to the environment.' Industry leaders have also warned that disposable products will soon be replaced with near identical reusable vapes as sellers scramble to get new legal models onto shelves. Additionally, campaigners We Vape said the new law will create a black market that is "impossible to enforce". Smoking vs. vaping VAPING has been touted as an effective tool to help people quit smoking. Though vaping is substantially less harmful than smoking, the habit isn't completely harmless and comes with its own set of risks. The NHS only recommends it for adult smokers, to support quitting smoking. GP and author Dr Philippa Kaye explained to The Sun that the differences between vaping and smoking - and whether one is better than the other - is "complicated". "In a nutshell, vaping is better than smoking, but breathing air is better than vaping at all." Vaping exposes users to far fewer toxins - and at lower levels - than smoking cigarettes. Switching to vaping significantly reduces your exposure to toxins that can cause cancer, lung disease, and diseases of the heart and circulation like heart attack and stroke. These diseases are not caused by nicotine, which is relatively harmless to health. But research has still linked vaping to a higher risk of failure and lung disease. Health risks of cigarettes Smokers are more likely than nonsmokers to develop heart disease, stroke, and lung cancer Smokers are at greater risk for diseases that affect the heart and blood vessels Smoking can cause lung disease by damaging your airways and the small air sacs Smoking can cause cancer almost anywhere in your body It affects overall health too, such as your mouth, eyes, immune system and fertility Health risks of vaping They can cause side effects such as throat and mouth irritation, headache, cough and feeling sick They could lead to tooth decay They could damage heart health They could cause lung disease They could slow brain development Read more on how vaping can affect your health Sources : NHS, CDC 3 Online and in-store vendors slashed prices to sell off their disposable vape stock Credit: Shutterstock Editorial Advertisement
The Sun
26-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Disposable vapes being sold for as little as 29p in ‘crazy' fire sale ahead of ban this weekend
DISPOSABLE vapes are being sold for as little as 29p in a 'crazy' fire sale before they are banned this weekend. It means they are being flogged for less than a Cadbury's chocolate Freddo bar — which now costs 30p in supermarkets. 2 From Sunday it will be illegal to sell single-use e-cigarettes in the UK under new laws to protect kids and reduce landfill. But online sellers are desperate to avoid being stuck with illegal stock with £200 fines looming. One site boasting a 'UK Vape Bargain Blast' is selling Flavaah Bar disposable vapes for 29p each, down from £5. Elf Bars are on sale for 49p each, also down from a fiver. And a packet of 20 e-cigs can cost just £10, which would have been £100 a year ago. Kate Pike, from the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, told The Sun: 'This is crazy. 'We are anticipating a challenging spike in illegal operations and supply during the changeover. 'Shops have been warned and told to run down their stocks and I've seen some unbelievably low prices. ' This is an addictive product and we shouldn't be selling them for these prices, but they aren't doing anything wrong at this stage.' Campaigners We Vape said it showed the new law will create a black market and is 'impossible to enforce'. Disposable vapes will be banned across UK by next summer to stop Britain's kids from getting hooked Ministers have brought in the rule as part of a drive to deter children and teenagers, who often use single-use vapes in fruity flavours, with flavours also set to be banned. They also acted on environmental concerns about huge amounts of plastic and lithium batteries being thrown out, with an estimated one million vapes binned every day. 2
