UK – The UK government is implementing new measures, including an overhaul of vape packaging, to tackle the rising trend of vaping among young people in the country.
The new measures are designed to ensure manufacturers produce plainer and less visually appealing packaging for vaping products.
This initiative is part of the government’s response to a consultation on smoking and vaping initiated last October.
Additionally, the government is advocating for restricting vape flavors and introducing changes in how vapes are displayed in shops to make them less attractive to children.
The anticipated implementation of these changes is by the end of this year or early 2025, as reported by The Guardian.
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak stated, “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.
“As prime minister, I have an obligation to do what I think is the right thing for our country in the long term. That is why 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 flavors, introduce plain packaging, and change how vapes are displayed in shops.”
This move is part of a broader response to a public consultation on smoking and vaping, resulting in plans for some of the world’s strictest anti-smoking measures. These measures include a ban on selling tobacco products to anyone born on or after January 1, 2009.
While vaping can be a useful tool for helping adult smokers quit, concerns among doctors revolve around the unknown long-term health impact of vaping on young people and their developing respiratory systems, as well as the potential for nicotine addiction leading to anxiety, trouble concentrating, and headaches during withdrawal.
Recent figures indicate that the number of children using vapes in the past three years has tripled, with 9% of 11- to 15-year-olds now using vapes.
The proportion of 11- to 17-year-old vapers using disposables has surged almost nine-fold in the past two years.
The ban on disposable vapes is expected to reduce the significant environmental impact associated with their disposal. Currently, 5 million vapes are discarded each week, up from 1.3 million the previous year.
The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health welcomed the announcement, applauding the ban on disposable e-cigarettes and marketing restrictions.
Dr. Mike McKean, a vice-president for policy at the college, emphasized the need for close monitoring of the impact on children’s behavior and smokers, stating that this is a positive step that warrants careful observation and potential further development.
The government aims to introduce legislation to ban disposable vapes as soon as possible, utilizing existing environmental protection laws. The ban will also be implemented in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland through devolved legislation.
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