Welsh Lawmakers Back Ban on Disposable Vapes
Credit: Iama Sing
The Welsh government has backed a ban on the sale of disposable vapes in Wales from next June.
Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies said the move was a “major step forward in tackling throwaway culture and the environmental impacts of single-use vapes.”
He said the Welsh government was working closely with ministers in all the UK nations to implement the ban simultaneously, reports the BBC.
No single-use vapes can be sold or given away for free after June 1, 2025.
The Welsh government is urging businesses to speak to their suppliers about ordering alternatives, start educating their staff, and inform customers.
Businesses will also have to organize the eventual safe disposal of single-use vapes for their customers.
The Welsh government announced the ban in October after the UK government said it would stop the sale of disposable vapes in England from June 2025.
The Scottish government initially planned to introduce the ban in April but delayed it by two months to comply with England and Wales’ schedule.
There have been fears the appeal of vaping had spread to non-smokers in the UK.
Scientists estimated the number of adults in England to have started vaping despite never having been regular smokers had reached one million in October this year.
There were also concerns a ban could fuel an already growing black market of illegal vapes, which can have higher nicotine content.