The UK government is proposing a ban on the sale of disposable vejps. This follows the government's announcement of new measures to reduce vejp use among young people in the country. The decision raises concerns among health researchers in the country.
"A ban will affect 1.2 million Britons who use disposable models to quit smoking or to stay smoke-free," notes health and behavioral scientist Sarah Jackson.
Disposable vejps are to be banned in the UK. This was announced by the UK government in a press release on Monday. At the same time, it introduces an age limit on nicotine pouches as well as requirements for less attractive packaging and possible restrictions on flavorings. According to the government, there was overwhelming support among the responses to the government's consultation with almost 70% of parents, teachers, health professionals supporting the measures.
Not only young people using disposable vejps
Today, vejp takes almost 4.7 million Britons. Of these, 2.6 million use disposable e-cigarettes. Of these, the majority are young people aged 18-24. Meanwhile, a fifth of all those who have quit smoking with the help of vejpning use disposable vejps, as well as 18% of Britons who still smoke.
According to British health and behavioral scientist Sarah Jackson, researcher at University College London which recently investigated the consequences of a ban, the decision will therefore have a major impact on 1TP8 habits. Not least among current e-cigarette users.
"We estimate that a ban on disposable vejps in particular would affect 1.2 million people who smoke and vejpar, perhaps to try to quit smoking and a further 744,000 who have previously smoked." stated Sarah Jacksson at the time the study was published. "This means that over 2 million Britons are currently using disposable vejps, either to quit smoking or to stay smoke-free"
Sees ban as key
Despite this, the UK government chose to propose a ban on disposable cigarettes. Vaping is certainly the most popular way to quit smoking in the country. But according to the Health Ministerr Andrea Leadsom the ban is intended to stop uptake among young people, something that a majority of those involved in the national consultation process that led to the decision said they supported, according to the government.
"We are in the midst of a worrying increase in young people vejpar. We want to put our foot down here and a ban on disposable models is central to that effort." says Andrea Leadsom in a press release.
Tightening controls at the same time
At the same time, the Government wants to increase the penalties for selling e-cigarettes to minors. Several previous reports and warnings from the industry suggest that the vast majority of young people buy their vejps without age verification (18 years) either through illegal online sources or through small shops.
"To crack down on underage sales, the Government will also introduce new fines for shops in England and Wales that sell vejps illegally to children. Local authorities will have the power to act "on the spot" to tackle tobacco and vejp sales to minors. This builds on the maximum £2,500 fine that local authorities can already impose." writes the government.
"Helping 70,000 Brits quit smoking every year"
In contrast to the ban, the UK government launched the program as recently as January "Swap to stop" - a massive effort to get smokers to switch from cigarettes to e-cigarettes. The program is one of a number of measures to reduce smoking in the country and involves giving one million smokers free access to e-cigarettes to quit smoking. The goal is that less than five percent of the population smokes by 2030.
"E-cigarettes should only be used by adults as a smoking cessation tool. They contribute to an additional 50,000 to 70,000 quits per year in England." writes the government in its press release
"Deters smokers from e-cigs"
But according to Sarah Jackson the ban is inconsistent with that intention.
"A ban on single-use guns is likely to reduce youth vejping. But it may also have unintended consequences. It is likely to discourage smokers from switching to a less harmful product, induce relapse among former smokers and potentially exacerbate health inequalities." writes Śarah Jackson in a twitter threadd.
Affects the most vulnerable smokers
According to the study from University College London uptake of disposables has not only been high among younger people in the UK. People from socially disadvantaged groups, those with mental disabilities and parents of young children are also more likely to use disposable models than other vejp products.
"This suggests that a ban would also have a disproportionate impact on disadvantaged groups who have higher smoking rates and typically find it harder to quit." writes Sarah Jackson.
Facts: Weather and injury risks
- According to the UK Public Health Agency, e-cigarette use is likely to be significantly less harmful than smoking. Currently, 7% of Britons use e-cigarettes, while 12% still smoke. Disposable models are mostly used by young people, but according to several studies, use among young people is concentrated among those who already smokes or has smoked in the past. Link:
Nicotine vaping in England: 2022 evidence update main findentations - UK authorities are actively encouraging smokers to use e-cigarettes to quit smoking. The government's National Health Services regularly updates its advice to doctors and patients on the potential of the technology. Link:
Using e-cigarettes to stop smoking - According to the UK's Cochrane, an independent institution for evaluating health care interventions, the e-cigarettes, to the same extent as the drug varenicline, the most effective tool for quitting smoking today. Twice as effective as nicotine patches, for example. Link:
Can electronic cigarettes help people stop smoking, and do they have any unwanted effects when used for this purpose?
