Full Text of the UK Disposable Vape Ban: Overwhelming Support and Public Responses

 On January 28, the British government announced a complete ban on the sale of one-timee-cigarettes, and limits the taste of oil-filled (open) e-cigarettes, while requiring manufacturers to use simpler, less visually appealing packaging.

News According to the British government's official news website uk, on January 28,The British government has announced a complete ban on the sale of disposable e-cigarettes, imposed restrictions on the taste of oil-filled (open) e-cigarettes, and required manufacturers to adopt simpler, less visually appealing packaging。The ban received overwhelming support, with nearly 70 percent of parents, teachers, health care professionals and the public supporting the measure. Currently, the implementation time of the bill has not yet been determined.

The following is the original translation:

The British Prime Minister announced today (Monday, January 29) during a visit to a school that the UK will ban the use of disposable e-cigarettes, as part of the British government's ambitious plan to address the rising number of e-cigarettes among teenagers and protect children's health. nbsp; 

The measure is part of the government's response to a consultation on smoking and e-cigarettes launched in October last year. nbsp; 

Recent data shows that the number of children using e-cigarettes has tripled in the past three years. Use among younger children is also rising, with 9% of children aged 11 to 15 now using e-cigarettes. The long-term health effects of e-cigarettes are unclear. The nicotine contained in e-cigarettes can be highly addictive, and withdrawal can sometimes lead to anxiety, inattention and headaches. While e-cigarettes can help adult smokers quit smoking, children should never smoke e-cigarettes. nbsp;

Disposable e-cigarettes have been a key driver of the alarming increase in the number of e-cigarettes among teenagers, with the proportion of e-cigarette users aged 11 to 17 using disposable e-cigarettes increasing almost ninefold in the past two years. ??& nbsp;

The government will introduce new powers to limit the flavors of e-cigarettes sold specifically to children and ensure manufacturers use simpler, less visually appealing packaging. The powers would also allow the government to change the way e-cigarettes are displayed in stores, moving them out of children's sight and away from products such as candy that appeal to them.

To crack down on underage sales, the government will also impose new fines on shops in England and Wales that illegally sell e-cigarettes to children. Trade standards officials will have the power to take action "on the spot" to address underage tobacco and e-cigarette sales. Local authorities can already impose fines of up to £ 2,500.& nbsp;

For children who are increasingly turning to these highly addictive alternatives, e-cigarette alternatives (such as nicotine bags) will also be banned. nbsp;

The government once again reaffirms its commitment to the first generation of smoke-free generations and has enacted legislation so that children aged 15 or younger can never legally sell tobacco this year. nbsp; 

Smoking is the UK's largest preventable killer-causing about a quarter of cancer deaths and 80,000 deaths a year-so stopping young people from starting smoking will protect an entire generation and future generations from the dangers of smoking as they grow up. nbsp; 

To help ensure the success of smoke-free power generation plans, £ 30 million of new funding will be provided each year to support law enforcement agencies-including Border Force, HMRC and the Office of Trade Standards-in implementing these measures and eliminating opportunistic criminals of smoke-free production. nbsp; 

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: 

As any parent or teacher knows, one of the most worrying trends right now is the increase in the number of e-cigarettes among children, so we must take action before e-cigarettes become popular. nbsp;

 

The long-term impact of e-cigarettes is unclear, and the nicotine in e-cigarettes can be highly addictive, so while e-cigarettes can be a useful tool to help smokers quit smoking, it is unacceptable to sell e-cigarettes to children. ?& nbsp;

 

As Prime Minister, I have an obligation to do what I believe is right for our country in the long run. That's why I'm taking bold action to ban single-use e-cigarettes-which has fueled the rise of teen e-cigarettes-and proposing new powers to limit e-cigarette flavors, introduce paperbacks and change the way e-cigarettes are displayed in stores.# p#pagination title #e#

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In addition to our commitment to prevent children aged 15 or younger from legally selling cigarettes this year, these changes will leave a lasting legacy by protecting the health of our children over the long term.

The government's consultation on a ban on disposable e-cigarettes has received overwhelming support, with nearly 70 percent of parents, teachers, health care professionals and the public supporting the measure. nbsp; 

The government has a responsibility to protect children's health, which is why it takes bold and decisive action against smoking and e-cigarettes. This is the responsible thing to protect future generations.& nbsp;

Health and Social Care Minister Victoria Atkins said: 

Smoking remains the largest preventable cause of death in England. Almost every minute of every day, people are hospitalized for smoking-related illnesses. Every year it causes £ 17 billion in losses to society and places a huge burden on our NHS.& nbsp; 

 

That's why we are moving forward with the Smoke-Free Generation Initiative, which will prevent our children from developing this dangerous habit. nbsp;

 

The health advice is clear that e-cigarettes can only be used as a smoking cessation tool. But we are committed to doing more to protect our children from illegal underage e-cigarettes, and by banning disposable e-cigarettes, we can prevent children from indulging in them for life.

E-cigarettes can only be used by adults as a smoking cessation tool. They contribute to an additional 50,000-70,000 people quitting smoking in England every year.& nbsp;

As part of the government's "Quit Swap" initiative, nearly one in five adult smokers in England will receive e-cigarette kits and behavioral support to help them quit smoking and improve their health. nbsp; 

Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty said: 

Smoking harms many people and shortens life expectancy.& nbsp; 

 

Stillbirths, cancer, asthma, dementia, stroke and heart failure-smoking causes disability and death throughout the life course. If passed, the legislation will have a significant impact on public health for many future generations.

Health Minister Andrea Leadsom said:  

We are in a worrying period of increasing number of young people smoking e-cigarettes. I want to stop young people from smoking e-cigarettes-and banning single-use e-cigarettes is central to achieving this goal.& nbsp;

 

Nicotine is highly addictive, making it completely unacceptable for children to come into contact with these products, many of which are undoubtedly designed to appeal to young people. nbsp;

 

In addition to adopting stricter enforcement measures, we are also ensuring that the target audience of e-cigarettes is the people they are designed to help-adults who are quitting smoking.

The ban will not only benefit children's health, but will also have a positive impact on the environment. 5 million disposable e-cigarettes are discarded every week, up from 1.3 million last year. More than a year is equivalent to the lithium batteries of 5,000 electric vehicles. ?& nbsp;

Environment Minister Steve Barclay said: 

Not only are disposable e-cigarettes often targeted at children and unacceptable, but they also represent a large and growing amount of hard-to-recycle waste, with nearly 5 million items thrown away every week. nbsp;

 

This historic announcement will be a powerful tool to support our efforts to combat waste and promote recycling, and to help create the first generation of smoke-free generations.

The 10-week public consultation on "Creating a Smoke-Free Generation and Solving the Problem of E-Cigarette Smoking among Young People" ended on December 6. More than 25,000 responses were analyzed, and the government's responses set out plans for upcoming legislation to be introduced in Parliament. nbsp; 

Creating a smoke-free generation does not just endanger public health. The trade in illegal cigarettes, hand-rolled tobacco and other tobacco products has far-reaching implications. The UK Revenue and Customs Service (HMRC) estimates that the illegal tobacco trade costs the UK economy approximately £ 2.8 billion in lost revenue every year, money that should fund our public services. nbsp;

Today, UK Revenue and Customs and Border Control will release a new illegal tobacco strategy to "Solve the Problem", which will include: ??& nbsp;#p#Pagination Title #e#

Clarify their continued commitment to reducing the illegal tobacco trade, with a focus on reducing demand and combating and disrupting the organized crime behind the illegal tobacco trade; highlight the cost of lost UK tax revenue and the burden on taxpayers, the weakening of law-abiding businesses and the funding of broader organized crime through illegal tobacco sales.?& nbsp;

Support response from stakeholders 

Dame Rachel de Souza, British Commissioner for Children: 

As Children's Commissioner, I want all children to grow up healthily, which is why I have been calling for a ban on disposable e-cigarettes to protect children and prevent them from becoming addicted. nbsp;

 

I am very pleased that the government has listened to my call and many others to ban disposable e-cigarettes. I also welcome the decision to impose stricter restrictions on the marketing and taste of e-cigarettes, so that they will be less attractive to children and young people. nbsp;

 

A few years ago, when I asked children about all aspects of their health and well-being, I was shocked and worried when children as young as 12 told me that e-cigarettes had become the norm among their peers, even in school. This announcement will help resolve this issue and I know many children and parents will feel very relieved.

Dr. Mike McKean, Associate Dean of Policy at the Royal College of Pediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), said:  

We are pleased that the Westminster government has heard our call and rightly prioritized the health and well-being of our children and the planet. Curbing the smoking of e-cigarettes among young people always requires bold action, and banning single-use e-cigarettes is a meaningful step in the right direction. I am also very happy to see RPCCH repeatedly calling for further restrictions on the taste, packaging and marketing of e-cigarettes.& nbsp;

 

As a respiratory consultant, I have not forgotten that smoking remains the single largest cause of preventable disease in the UK. We know this because we have more than 60 years of population smoking studies and data. However, research and data surrounding the widespread use of e-cigarettes are still in their infancy. The long-term impact, especially on children and young people, remains unknown. nbsp; 

 

The government must enact legislation quickly to ensure that this parliament can fully consider it. We look forward to seeing more details on these milestone plans, especially in terms of implementation, execution and monitoring.

Member David Fothergill, Chairman of the Local Government Association (LGA) Community Welfare Committee, said: 

We are pleased that the government has listened to the long-standing concerns of local governments and councils and is taking decisive action to ban single-use e-cigarettes. nbsp; 

 

Disposable e-cigarettes are inherently unsustainable products, which means a complete ban remains the most effective way to solve the problem. nbsp;

 

Disposable e-cigarettes pollute our streets like garbage, are a danger to our garbage trucks, and are expensive and difficult to dispose of in our recycling centers. Their colors, flavors and advertising appeal to children, but pose a risk to the health of young people. nbsp; 

 

We look forward to working with governments and other agencies to enforce this ban and ensure the success of the Smoke-Free Generation Initiative.

Henry Gregg, director of external affairs at UK Asthma + Lung, said: 

We welcome this powerful way to protect young people from e-cigarettes. The pocket money price and colorful packaging of disposable e-cigarettes have contributed to an increase in the number of people under the age of 18 smoking e-cigarettes. We support a carefully considered and properly enforced ban on disposable e-cigarettes. Immediate action is also urgently needed to limit the taste, packaging and display of e-cigarettes to reduce their appeal and usability to children and non-smokers. If you are a smoker and want to quit smoking, smoking e-cigarettes may be an effective way to quit smoking. But for children and non-smokers, starting e-cigarettes is not a good idea, especially if you have lung disease. nbsp;

 

The plan to create a smoke-free generation is a landmark decision that truly shows that the government puts the health of young people first. This is one of the most influential things the government can do to protect future generations from lung disease caused by smoking. Smoking is the largest cause of death from lung disease, and today's decision will save thousands of lives. Now, these measures must be implemented as soon as possible and provided with sufficient funding to ensure they can be fully implemented.# p#pagination title #e#

Dr Ian Walker, Executive Director of Policy at Cancer Research UK, said: ?& nbsp;

Smoking is the largest preventable cause of cancer, and studies have shown that e-cigarettes are much less harmful than smoking and can help people quit smoking. nbsp;

 

If the legislation is passed, the UK government should ensure that local smoking cessation services are adequately funded and provide as much support as possible to those trying to quit smoking to help them quit. nbsp;

 

We are also pleased to see that the government is advancing tobacco sales age legislation that applies to all tobacco products, bringing us one step closer to creating the first generation of smoke-free generation." nbsp;

Libby Peake, Director of Resource Policy, Green Alliance 

This ban cannot be introduced too quickly, not only for the health of future generations, but also for the health of the planet. The government follows science and this decision will bring many environmental benefits. Valuable lithium-ion batteries will no longer be wasted or disappeared as garbage, as well as all the casings that have long damaged our environment. This means that key raw materials will be preserved for much-needed uses, such as renewable energy. The risk of fire caused by improper battery handling will be minimized and dangerous plastic contamination will be prevented. This bold move by the government is undoubtedly good news.

Alison Ogden-Newton OBE, chief executive of environmental charity Keep Britain Clean, said:  

The announcement to ban disposable e-cigarettes is good news for the environment. Our survey shows that disposable e-cigarette waste has doubled in the past two years alone, and last year, more than 16% of the sites we surveyed were damaged by these disposable items, posing a significant risk to wildlife and polluting our streets, parks and beaches. It is estimated that 260 million pieces of lithium are discarded in this country every year, wasting precious and scarce resources, including lithium.

Gavin Graveson, senior executive vice president of Veolia Nordic, said: 

When faced with an environmental crisis, recyclability should be considered for every product entering the market. Disposable e-cigarettes are a clear example of how products are designed without considering environmental impact and should adhere to expanded producer responsibility plans to encourage correct ecological design. nbsp; 

 

Millions of disposable e-cigarettes are littered, causing environmental damage, or thrown into garbage cans, causing fires in recycling and waste trucks and disposal facilities every week. nbsp; 

We cannot allow more pollution. Veolia's recycling program has recycled more than one million e-cigarettes, and we support policies that restrict products from being scrapped.

The government's response to the consultation to "Create a smoke-free generation and address the problem of e-cigarette smoking among young people" will be published on Gov.ukon Monday, January 29. nbsp; 

The new illegal tobacco strategy was announced in DHSC's October 2023 smoke-free power generation policy document,"Stop and Start": nbsp;

The UK government will provide more than £ 100 million in new funding support over the next five years to enhance existing HMRC, Border Force and trade standards enforcement capabilities.??& nbsp;

A new multi-agency Illicit Tobacco Task Force will be established to combine the operational, investigative and intelligence expertise of each agency to enhance the UK's ability to fight organized crime and help develop an illegal tobacco strategy.?& nbsp;

The UK Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and Border Forces 'new illegal tobacco strategy, Solving the Problem, will be released on GOV.UK on Monday, 29 January 2024. nbsp; 

The £ 2.8 billion tax gap announced in Measuring the Tax Gap 2023 Edition: The tax gap from 2021 to 2022 is estimated to include £ 2.2 billion in consumption tax and £ 600 million in value-added tax.?& nbsp;

The previous HMRC and Border Force Tobacco Strategy,"From Tobacco Leaf to Light", was released in 2015. The new strategy builds on its success and addresses changes in the illegal tobacco market and how we will respond to current and future challenges.??& nbsp;

UK Revenue and Customs and Border Forces encourage anyone with information about the smuggling, distribution or sale of illegal tobacco to report it online.??& nbsp;#p#Pagination Title #e#

For more information on the illegal tobacco strategy, please contact the UK Revenue and Customs Press Office: ? newsdesk@hmrc.gov.uk; non-working hours: 03000 538 775