ALBAWABA – As part of the United Kingdom’s plans to combat youth smoking, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has announced the country’s initiative of issuing a complete ban on Disposable Vapes (E-cigarettes) as the UK government's reply to a consultation it held in October of last year about smoking and vaping, citing health concerns and goal of a smoke-free generation.
In a press release on the UK government website, Sunak explained the health and public impact of Disposable Vapes, noting how the use of disposables among minors of 11 to 15 years of age has gone three folds in the past 3 years, accumulating to 9 percent, and an alarming use increase of about nine folds between 11 and 17 years old in the recent two years.
Long-term effects of using Disposable Vapes appear to be unknown, combined with the addictive nature of Nicotine with withdrawal effects that include Anxiety, concentration difficulties and headaches, the press release adds, explaining that while vaping can help adults who are already smokers to quit the habit, it is not intended for children use and is severely harmful to their health.
"Children shouldn't be vaping, we don't want them to get addicted"
— BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) January 29, 2024
PM Rishi Sunak says "it's right that we take strong action" as the government outlines plans to ban disposable vapeshttps://t.co/MPB0bhwySz pic.twitter.com/ckK0qAI3Bw
The release cites that smoking is the single greatest avoidable cause of mortality in the UK, accounting for 80,000 deaths annually and nearly one in four cancer fatalities, which caused the government to release a new law that is geared towards preventing new users picking the habit, and helping previous smokers quit, by prohibiting the sale of tobacco products to those born after 2009, making those aged 14-year-old today will never be able to obtain a cigarette legally, with the smoking age increasing year by year according to Sunak.
The government also shared its plans to enforce fines over shops selling vapes to minors in England and Wales, with officers acting on the spot to impose a fine that can reach up to £2,500, while also requiring shops and manufacturers selling vaping materials to use plain and unappealing packages to deter children, adding that alternatives like nicotine pouches will now be legally available to affected children to help them quit.
