Vape ban 'helps stop children getting addicted'

The upcoming disposable vape ban will help "prevent a new generation of nicotine-addicted young people", Wales' leading public health body has said.

Public Health Wales (PHW) said it was important to learn from the experience with tobacco and "work as hard as possible to prevent the use and uptake of vapes by children and young people".

Single-use disposable vapes will be banned across the UK from 1 June as part of efforts to protect children's health and prevent environmental damage.

The UK Vaping Industry Association has been approached for comment, but previously said a ban would increase illegal sales.

PHW said disposable vapes were "cheap, easy to use and widely available" and appealed to children.

It added that most contained nicotine, which affected concentration, memory and the ability to learn when consumed regularly.

Mary-Ann McKibben, consultant in public health at PHW, said: "While vaping is safer than smoking for adults, it is not risk–free and we do not yet have a comprehensive understanding of the long-term health effects."

She called the ban an "important step" towards preventing a generation of young people addicted to nicotine.

Data in Wales shows that 7% of people aged 11 to 16 use vapes weekly, up from 5.4% in 2021. For 15 and 16-year-olds it is 15.9%, up from 13.6%.

Keep Wales Tidy estimates that 360,000 single use vapes are dropped on the floor each year, while 120,000 are flushed down the toilet.

People at the Urdd Eisteddfod in Neath Port Talbot were largely supportive of the ban.

Anna Sitori, 18, from Swansea, said vaping was a "real issue" that she often sees at school and parties and this would "really help crack down" on it.

Steffan Thomas, 19, from Swansea, believes many of his friends who vape would stop due to the ban, but felt some could resort to smoking tobacco.

In Swansea, Kyle Evans, from Aberdare, Rhonda Cynon Taf, described the ban as "ridiculous" as it was a helpful way to quit smoking.

He added: "People need to put them away properly, dispose of them properly and there shouldn't be a ban."

Crimestoppers said it was stepping up its efforts to combat the illegal sale of vapes in the wake of the ban because "unscrupulous vendors will continue to sell these products illegally".

"These products pose serious health risks – they are unregulated, untested, and may contain dangerously high levels of nicotine and harmful substances such as lead and nickel," it said.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme when the ban was announced, John Dunne, director general of UKVIA, said authorities already struggled to tackle the black market, even without a ban.

He said the association wanted the UK government to instead introduce a licensing scheme for retailers and distributors.