The global debate for and against vaping is nuanced and widespread. While many point out the positive impacts of helping people quit smoking, others highlight their addictive properties and how advertisements target children. This latter issue is the subject of one of the latest regulations of the device in the United Kingdom.
The plans announced in January of this year by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak follow existing legislation that bans the sale of vapes and tobacco products to people under 18. The new proposed legislation would focus on disposable vapes and candy-flavored e-cigarettes in a move by the governors to reduce the increasing usage of vape among children. This move is predominantly motivated by the aforementioned rise in vape usage but also as a response to the smaller and more colorful packaging of disposable vapes that the government claims is a big reason for the increasing number of children vaping. Moreover, this ban would restrict the sale of vape flavors that are targeted at children and introduce new fines for shops that illegally sell vapes to children.
This decision has been met with backlash from all parts of society. Former Prime Minister Liz Truss has led opposition to the plan, calling it “profoundly unconservative.” Others worry that the ban would only fuel the black market and thereofre support enforcement of existing legislation as opposed to an outright ban. Most major vape companies in the UK support legislation that limits the sale of vape to children but also point out the positive effects of vape in helping adults quit smoking cigarettes. That being said, health officials also highlight how an end to smoking/vaping can reduce the chances of children developing preventable diseases including lung diseases like popcorn lung, collapsed lung, and possibly lung cancer.
Many teachers and parents support the new ban after seeing many of their children/students using vapes more frequently, especially since reports state that many teens don’t realize vapes contain nicotine and see them as a healthier version of smoking. While it is true that studies show vaping to be less harmful than cigarettes, nicotine is highly addictive, and the e-liquids produced in the vaporizing process in e-cigarettes contain potentially toxic metal nanoparticles. More research is needed in this area but experts agree that vaping is in no way healthy for teenagers.
Both the Scottish and Welsh governments will also introduce similar bans to create nationwide regulation in the United Kingdom. The UK is not the first nation to introduce bans on vaping for children. France approved a bill to ban disposable e-cigarettes, Australia introduced a ban on nonprescription vaping products, the German Bundesrat urged the federal government to implement a ban on e-cigarettes throughout Germany, and New Zealand has become one of the only countries to seriously implement regulation with an outright ban on candy-flavored disposable vapes and requirements for vape shops to be at least 300 meters from a school.
While only time will tell how effective these initiatives are, the collective goal of these countries in the creation of a smoke-free generation and to promote healthy habits for the future is comendable. It also seems that these governments are motivated to limit children’s access to narcotics in an effort to create a safer and cleaner future through not only individual health but also a decrease in single-use plastic waste. Looking forward it seems many more nations will follow in these counties’ footsteps toward a vape-free future.
