Banning disposable vapes could fuel 'black market', expert warns

Banning disposable vapes in the UK could be an 'absolute disaster', an industry expert has warned, as he predicts that new regulations could pave the way for the illicit trade of e-cigarettes.

It comes after it was announced today that disposable vapes will be banned across Britain  by next summer in a bid to end the surge in young people smoking e-cigarettes.

The legislation covers all disposable vapes, regardless of where they are imported from, and will force shops and retailers to use 'takedown procedures' to stop illicit suppliers when the ban comes into place.

But the Director general of the UK Vaping Industry Association John Dunne told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that authorities won't be able to keep up with 'black market' vapes once the new law is enforced.

'Very simply we already have a black market in this country in illicit vapes, ones that contain too much nicotine or are too large to be legally sold in this market - and that's fuelled by the fact that the products are legally allowed to be imported into the country, if not illegally allowed to be sold', Dunne said

'We are going to do the exact same thing now about the disposable vape', he added.

Initially touted as a 'safer' alternative to tobacco, public health experts have become increasingly concerned that youngsters who have never smoked are using them.

Multiple shocking cases have also emerged of collapsed lungs, fainting or vomiting ominous green liquid among, liked to heavy vaping.

And, disturbingly, there is evidence children as young as four are being hospitalised due to damage caused by vapes.

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Single-use vapes 'WILL be banned in the UK by next summer' amid crackdown on children smoking

Downing Street's laws will force all suppliers in England to get rid of all disposables stock by June 2025, and expects the governments of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to impose the same cut-off date for single-use vapes. 

But Dunne believes that if trading standards are already struggling to keep up with the illicit trade, they 'won't be able to go into every single convenience store and every single vape store to check every device to see if it fits that criteria'. 

'We've already seen in other countries that have banned these products has just fuelled a massive black market', he declared. 

Rishi Sunak had initially announced plans to ban disposable vapes by January, and Labour did not mention the policy in its election manifesto. 

The former prime minister acted over evidence showing those taking up the habit across all age groups has ballooned by more than 400 per cent since 2012.

More worryingly, recent NHS figures showed a quarter of 11 to 15-year-olds in England have tried vaping, with almost one in 10 using e-cigarettes regularly.

There are also environmental concerns regarding disposable vapes, with more than 40 tonnes of lithium, used in the batteries, being thrown out with disposable vapes in 2022 — enough to power around 5,000 electric vehicles.