Vaping: Welsh government calls for ban on disposable vapes

The Welsh government is calling for a ban on disposable single-use vapes.

The move would be "part of a suite of measures to address youth vaping", Welsh ministers said.

The Welsh government does not have the power to prohibit the vapes, but is calling on the UK government to do so. 

The UK Vaping Industry Association said banning disposable vapes was "not the answer" and instead called for action against retailers who sold the products to under-18s.

Calls for a ban have been supported by the wildlife charity RSPCA Cymru, which says discarded vapes contain materials and poisonous substances including plastic, lithium and nicotine, which are all hazardous to animals.

A recent Public Health Wales (PHW) report, based on a small sample of Welsh secondary schools, said 9-10% of year 10 pupils vaped daily.

A Welsh government spokesperson said a "comprehensive ban on disposable single-use vapes" would form part of "a suite of measures to address youth vaping".

"Welsh ministers will be meeting UK government on this issue later this week," the spokesperson added.

The UK government's Department of Health and Social Care said it was "concerned about the rise in youth vaping and the environmental impacts of disposable vapes".

"That is why we launched a call for evidence to identify opportunities to reduce the number of children accessing and using vaping products - and explore where the government can go further," a spokesperson added.

Health experts largely agree that vapes - or e-cigarettes - are a good way to wean adults off smoking.

It is widely thought that vaping is substantially less harmful than smoking because there are far fewer toxins in vapes than in tobacco smoke.

But the e-cigarette vapour that is inhaled can still contain chemicals, including nicotine, which is highly addictive.

Scientists looking into the potential health risks of vaping say it could be decades before the long-term effects are fully known.

It is illegal to sell vapes to children and there are growing concerns that young people are becoming dependent on them.

A recent study by PHW found some pupils were so addicted to vapes they could not get through lessons without them.

When the study was released, PHW's health improvement director, Dr Julie Bishop, said: "That means [schools] have had to take other action like make the toilets off limits."

Dr Bishop said there had also been reports of "young people who can't go any long period of time without vaping".

"They might not be able to get through a lesson, not be able to sleep properly [or are] getting up in the night," she said.

Public affairs manager for RSPCA Cymru, Billie-Jade Thomas, added: "Animals could be in danger by ingesting liquid from discarded, disposable vapes; while strewn devices can also impact habitats.

"Dealing with this in Wales will be positive for the environment and for animal welfare, and ensure wildlife isn't left vulnerable.

"That's why we urge the UK government and Welsh government to work together to bring clarity to this situation, and ensure disposable vapes become a thing of the past in Wales."

The UK Vaping Industry Association's director general, John Dunne, said a ban was "not the answer".

He said banning the products could lead to black markets and increased smoking rates, leaving more people at risk.

"We've always acknowledged that the issues of youth vaping and environmental impact of vapes need to be tackled," he added.

"However, it is clear that significantly increased enforcement is required against retailers who sell to minors."

The Scottish government has also been grappling with the issue of banning vapes, and has said a ban would require an exclusion to the Internal Market Act - which would require UK government consent.

The Internal Market Act allows people to work and trade freely across the UK.

The Welsh government has argued that the Act diminishes the powers of devolved institutions.

But a legal challenge it launched against the Act was dismissed by the Court of Appeal in February 2022.