The United Kingdom has announced a plan to ban disposable e-cigarettes to tackle a rise in youth vaping.
The UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, announced this on Monday, January 29, 2024.
He said, “As any parent or teacher knows, one of the most worrying trends at the moment is the rise in vaping among children, and so we must act before it becomes endemic,” Sunak said ahead of the official announcement of his plan.
“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 UK government aims to ban the sale of disposable vapes to those under 18 due to a nearly ninefold increase in their usage by underage vapers in the last two years.
To facilitate the move, fines for shops illegally selling vapes to children will be introduced in England and Wales. Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty welcomed the proposal, emphasizing its potential major public health impact on future generations.
Sunak also previously proposed raising the smoking age by one year annually, aiming to make the UK a smoke-free nation eventually. Currently, the legal purchase age for tobacco products in England and Wales is 18.
Disposal E-Cigarettes: A Growing Threat to Africa’s Environment and Health
Disposal e-cigarettes are vapes designed to be used once and then thrown away. They have become popular in some markets because they are cheap, convenient, and come in various flavours. However, they also pose environmental and health risks, as they contain lithium batteries and nicotine that can pollute the soil and water if not disposed of properly. Moreover, they may attract young people who have never smoked before, as they are often marketed with appealing colours and tastes.
Disposal e-cigarettes are regulated differently around the world. Some countries, such as Australia, Brazil, and Thailand, have led in banning them completely, while others such as Canada and New Zealand, have imposed strict limits on their nicotine levels and flavours. In the US, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently announced a crackdown on illegal disposables that have not been authorised by the agency.
In Africa, the situation is more complex, as many countries do not have specific regulations on e-cigarettes at all. Vaping is not well regulated in most African countries and there is a lack of data on its prevalence and impact.
Some countries, such as Ethiopia, Kenya, and Uganda, have banned or restricted the sale and use of e-cigarettes, while others, such as South Africa, Nigeria, and Egypt have a growing vaping market with an increasing number of smokers turning to e-cigarettes to quit smoking.
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