UK to ban disposable e-cigarettes

Over the past decade, e-cigarette use has grown rapidly in the UK, with nearly 10% of the population buying and using these products.

Advocates say e-cigarettes can be an effective tool to help smokers quit traditional cigarettes, but health authorities worry that their colorful designs and fruity flavors could easily attract children and teenagers.

According to a 2024 survey by the health charity ASH, one in five children aged 11 to 17 have tried an e-cigarette. It is illegal in the UK to sell e-cigarettes containing nicotine to under-18s.

In January, the UK government introduced a series of tough anti-smoking measures, including banning disposable e-cigarettes and preventing under-15s from accessing tobacco.

UK Health Secretary Andrew Gwynne has stressed that banning single-use e-cigarettes would not only help protect the environment but also reduce the appeal of the product to children, protecting them from the risk of addiction and health damage.

An average of 5 million disposable e-cigarette cartridges are discarded haphazardly every week in 2023, causing serious environmental pollution. They are then either dumped in landfills or burned, posing a fire hazard due to their lithium-ion batteries.

ASH has called on lawmakers to carefully consider the provisions in the Tobacco and E-cigarettes Bill, to ensure that e-cigarettes remain an effective aid for people wanting to quit traditional cigarettes.

Ha Trang (according to Reuters)