The Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which will introduce strengthening restrictions on vaping, passed its second reading in the House of Commons last month and is now in its committee stage. The bill’s return to parliament was welcomed by the Public health charities that form part of the Smokefree Action Coalition and the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Smoking and Health.
The Bill has cross-party support and was first introduced under the previous Conservative government. The law was lost, however, when Rishi Sunak, the previous Prime Minister called the General Election in July. The Bill, if passed, will phase out the sale of tobacco products for those aged 15 or younger this year, bring in restrictions on vaping and introduce on the spot fines of £200 to retailers found to be selling tobacco, vape and nicotine products to people underage.
The Tobacco and Vapes Bill introduced by the Labour government also includes some stronger measures than was in the original legislation proposed by the previous government. The government will, for example, be given powers to extend the indoor smoking ban to specific outdoor spaces – with children’s playgrounds and outside schools and hospitals all being considered.
Additionally, as well as powers to restrict the flavours, display and packaging of all types of vapes, and other nicotine products that were previously proposed the bill now includes:
- A ban on vape advertising and sponsorship;
- Further powers to regulate the design of vapes;
- Powers to create a retail licensing regime for the sale of tobacco and vapes;
- Powers to extend smokefree legislation to further outdoor areas;
- Powers to prohibit vaping in smokefree places
The extra powers proposed are all now subject to consultation and regulations would be introduced to enforce these rules.
Speaking in the debate during the Tobacco and Vapes Bill’s second reading Wes Streeting, Secretary State for Health and Social Care said: ““The bill will come down on the vaping industry like a ton of bricks, to prevent a new generation of children and young people from getting hooked on nicotine. Taken together, these measures add up to the most significant public health intervention in a generation.”
The measures in this bill followed an announcement by the government that a ban on single-use disposable vapes will come into force next June. The government said the ban would both protect the environment and make vaping less attractive to younger people. Most single use vapes are thrown into general waste bins or discarded as litter rather than recycled.
Minister for Public Health and Prevention, Andrew Gwynne, said: “It’s deeply worrying that a quarter of 11-15-year-olds used a vape last year and we know disposables are the product of choice for the majority of kids vaping today.
“Banning disposable vapes will not only protect the environment, but importantly reduce the appeal of vapes to children and keep them out of the hands of vulnerable young people.”
The non-profit organisation, Material Focus, estimated last year that almost five million single-use vapes were thrown away compared with 1.3 million in 2022 previous year which is equivalent of eight being thrown away per second. Its research also found that 3% of UK vapers said they drop single-use vapes on the ground compared to 8% of 16–18-year-olds and 33% of this age group that vape said they threw single-use devices away in the bin at their place of education or work. Talking with schools we are also aware of vapes being thrown into sanitary waste bins, leading to concerns about the fire hazard by those collecting this waste. The government is giving time for shops to sell stocks of disposable vapes before the ban take effect.
Although restrictions are now coming down the track UK schools are finding they need to tackle the growing numbers of their students who are vaping right now. Staff training, student education and developing the right policies will help, but many schools have found vape detectors are the key to success in tackling vaping among students. We supply the HALO Smart Sensor which can help schools to combat vaping. If you want to know more, please contact us.
