Disposable vapes: Sheffield City Council calls for government ban

A study suggests disposable vapes are soaring in popularity among 18-year-old vapers

Sheffield City Council has called on the government to ban the sale of single-use disposable vapes.

The council's leader Tom Hunt has sent a letter to Health Secretary Victoria Atkins this week over concerns about youth vaping.

In the letter, Mr Hunt said disposable vapes should no longer be available to protect children and the environment.

The Department for Health and Social Care said the government was consulting on ways to tackle youth vaping.

According to Sheffield City Council, up to five million vapes are thrown away each week in the UK.

The council said while it recognised vapes could help adults quit smoking, it wanted to prevent children from being "enticed by harmful products".

It said "colourful, child-friendly packaging" and advertisements to target and appeal to children were "wholly inappropriate".

Mr Hunt added: "In addition, the environmental impact of disposal single-use vapes is too significant to not take action.

"This is why we are putting pressure on the government to do what they can to protect children from harm and to protect the environment by banning the sale of single-use disposable vapes."

The government says it is looking at ways of reducing the appeal of vapes to children

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: "We have already consulted on ways to reduce the appeal and availability of vapes to children and young people, and the upcoming Tobacco and Vapes Bill will introduce the first smoke-free generation and tackle the issue of youth vaping, saving lives and protecting our children.

"We are also increasing investment for our enforcement agencies by £30m per year, alongside £3m over two years to Trading Standards to tackle illegal and underage vape sales."

According to a survey by charity Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), the proportion of children experimenting with vaping grew by 50% from 2022 to 2023, from one in 13 to one in nine.

The charity said children's awareness of the promotion of vapes had also grown, particularly in shops where more than half of all children reported seeing e-cigarettes being promoted.

The 2023 survey used responses from 2,656 participants aged 11 to 18.