The Big Questions As The Single-Use Vaping Ban Starts

On June 1st, shops all over the UK will no longer be legally allowed to sell single-use vaping products. This is the most significant piece of legislation curbing vaping use since E-cigarettes first rose to prominence.

For some people, this will raise a lot of questions and uncertainty about what this means for those vaping or considering using it in the future as a means of smoking cessation. Here, we can answer some of those burning queries:

1 - Why are single-use vapes being banned?

The ban on single-use vapes has several elements to it. Firstly, there is a concern that these products, by being easy to use and often coming in attractive colours and flavours, are more attractive to underage vapers (the legal minimum age being 18).

A second concern relates to littering and waste. Large quantities of the devices are discarded carelessly and this is a particularly harmful form of littering, not just because of the high plastic content, but because the batteries contain lithium, a rare mineral but one in high demand for use in powering mobile phones, laptops and electric vehicles.

2 - Does this mean all vapes will be banned?

It certainly does not. You can still vape, but you will need to get a vaping kit and learn to use vape juice refills. We have a wide array of products on our site that you can check out to help you do this. These reusable devices can be recharged, just as you would a mobile phone.

3 - Does this mean I can't use any single-use vapes I possess after May 31st?

No. The ban applies to the sale of single-use devices in stores across the UK. If you have bought any beforehand, you can still use them in June or beyond. Indeed, some people will have stocked up on them by picking up a few clearance sale bargains.

4 - Can I take the devices in and out of the country?

This is a more complex area. If you are travelling overseas, you should abide by the laws of the country you are visiting. This applies to vapes as much as anything else. In any case, you won’t be allowed to vape on a plane, although if you are sailing, that could be different.

You can also bring single-use vapes into the UK and use them here if you bought them legally overseas, provided they are for personal use only. However, you shouldn’t get your hopes up about the idea of using ‘vape tourism’ to stock up, as the UK is far from being alone in banning single-use devices. Countries like Belgium and France have also done this.

5 - Does this mean the NHS no longer supports vaping as a way to stop smoking?

No. The NHS position remains the same at this point, with the view being that while vaping is not harmless, it is an effective means of helping people to stop smoking.

At the same time, concern has been expressed that the NHS is not taking a consistent approach to the issue of smoking cessation.

The UK Vaping Industry Association recently published details of research based on a Freedom of Information request showed that of the 17 NHS Trusts providing data, 25 per cent did not provide mandatory training on smoking cessation and two of them provided none at all.

Further inconsistencies saw some trusts offering annual training refreshers, some doing it every five years and some having no requirements in their policies.

6 – Why does it matter if I buy single-use vapes illegally?

Many in the vaping industry have warned that the single-use vapes ban will lead to a black market in the devices, citing such a situation in Australia. However, Trading Standards is to receive an extra £10 million in funding to crack down on illicit vape sales, including the already illegal retail of such devices to minors.

It is not just about being ‘goody two shoes’ that you shouldn’t help sellers break the law, however. It is important to note that illicit vape traders are often the same people involved in other forms of organised crime, including drug dealing, money laundering, identity fraud, human trafficking and even terrorism.

Trading Standards have been asking people to report traders who break the law after June 1st.

7 - Will this change vaping habits?

There is already evidence that the prospect of a ban has changed vaping habits. Research by University College London has revealed that in each of the two years before the announcement of plans to ban single-use vapes in January 2024, vaping use rose by around a quarter, but since the announcement, numbers have remained static.

More significantly in relation to the ban, the number of vapers primarily using disposable devices has plunged from 63 per cent to 35 per cent. This may raise some questions about whether vaping will be used less as a smoking cessation tool in the future, but it also shows that many of those who relied on single-use vapes have adjusted to reusables. If you still use disposables, now is the time to join them.