What Does the Ban Cover?
- All single-use vapes are included, whether they contain nicotine or not.
- The law applies to all retailers, both in-store and online, as well as healthcare and stop smoking services.
- Only vapes that are both rechargeable and refillable, with replaceable coils, will remain legal for sale.
Why the Ban?
The government’s primary motivations are:
- Environmental protection: Nearly five million disposable vapes were discarded weekly in 2024, contributing to litter, landfill waste, and pollution from hazardous chemicals and lithium batteries.
- Reducing youth vaping: Disposable vapes have become especially popular among young people, raising concerns about nicotine addiction and underage use.
How Will the Ban Be Enforced?
- Trading Standards will lead enforcement locally, with support from agencies like Border Force, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), and the Office of Product Safety and Standards (OPSS).
- Enforcement measures include:
- Civil sanctions such as stop notices, compliance notices, and £200 fines for first offences.
- Seizure of illegal products.
- For persistent offenders: unlimited fines, prison sentences of up to two years, and liability for investigation costs.
- More enforcement officers are being recruited, and local police may assist in targeting organised crime groups supplying illegal vapes.
What About Other Vape Products?
- Reusable vapes (rechargeable and refillable) remain legal for sale.
- New regulations also restrict flavours, packaging, and how vapes are displayed, aiming to reduce their appeal to children.
- A new tax on vape liquids will be introduced from October 2026.
Impact on Businesses and Consumers
- Retailers must remove all disposable vapes from sale by 1 June 2025.
- Businesses can check product compliance via the MHRA website and should ensure all vapes sold are both refillable and rechargeable.
- Consumers who use disposables are encouraged to switch to reusable alternatives.
The Bigger Picture
This regulation is part of the UK’s broader Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which also aims to create a “smoke-free generation” by raising the legal age to buy tobacco and vape products year by year for those born after 1 January 2009
