VAPE users have vowed to return to smoking as a ban on disposable e-cigarettes came into effect today.
Some vapers also moaned that the ban on single-use vapes would fail to make a difference, as users would be able to “find a way” to buy the now-illegal products.
AlamyIt is now illegal to sell disposable vapes at any store in the UK[/caption]
ReutersMany are, however, concerned that the ban will encourage people to take up smoking, and that it will be ineffective at reducing the number of vapes getting into the hands of children[/caption]
AlamyA number of shops sold their stock at dirt cheap prices in order to avoid hefty fines today[/caption]
As of today, it is against the law to sell single-use vapes either online or in shops – with the policy being introduced to try and protect children’s health and the environment.
Reacting to the ban, some vapers have said the ban will just lead them back to smoking, which many of them had initially quit by taking up vaping.
Sam Horrocks, 34, from West Bromwich, West Midlands, is one of those people.
He said: “I can’t be bothered with the hassle of taking out a portable charger on nights out, I’ll be back on the fags for sure.
“To ban them outright is stupid – I’ve stockpiled a few but once they are all gone I’ll be smoking again I reckon.
“They were quick, convenient and easy but messing around with refills and charging up the devices just isn’t for me.”
On top of sending people back to cigarette smoking, some also believe the ban will fail to stop getting vapes in the hands of children and those who are addicted.
Scott Lawley, 39, also from West Bromwich, said: “I don’t think it will make a difference.
“Some dodgy people will find a way of selling them and others will just go to the refills.
“If people want their vape or nicotine fix, they will find a way.”
Countless stores, fearful of losing out on unsellable stock, flogged off their vapes at dirt cheap prices.
Many were desperate to clear shelves in order to avoid a hefty fine today, including one – Vapes and Candy in Wolverhampton – which was selling disposable vapes at a fraction of the price charged the month prior.
The owner of the store, who did not wish to be named, explained that while his store would be fine with the ban, cornershops could be badly affected.
He said: “Vape specialist shops like us will be fine, we have a few shelves of disposables left and that is it.
“The cornershops who sell all sorts of cheap disposables will be the part of the market this will affect the most.”
SWNSYasir Ali, who works at the store Vape Factorie in Wolverhampton, says he supports the ban[/caption]
SWNSAusteja Kiskyte, 18, is also in favour of the ban as she sees children using them ‘everyday’[/caption]
AlamyMany vape users say they don’t enjoy the ‘hassle’ associated with reusable vapes – preferring the simplicity of a disposable one instead[/caption]
Vape Factorie – also in Wolverhampton – even rigged up a wheel of fortune style charity wheel to give people random flavours on the final day disposable vapes were legal to sell.
But not all businesses are against the ban, with some saying that it’s right for cornershops to be barred from selling the products which are harmful to the environment.
Yasser Ali, from Vape Factorie, said: “We are not going to risk a fine so there will not be one disposable vape in the shop from today.
“I actually agree with the ban, we sell wholesale and have concentrated on refillable vapes and the liquids for a long time now.
“Disposable vapes are bad for the environment, and some of the corner shops which sell them are selling all sorts of things they should not.”
PEOPLE ‘WILL MISS THE CONVENIENCE OF DISPOSABLE VAPES’
Vape sellers in Shropshire also said they doubted the ban would improve people’s health, fearing it would encourage many to revert to smoking.
Liam Humberstone from Totally Wicked Vapes, which has shops in both Telford and Shrewsbury, said: “There are positive and negative aspects to the ban for vapers.
“Starting with the most positive, it will be better for the environment, and it will be better for most consumers.
“Less positive is that some will miss the convenience of disposable vapes, and so go back to smoking.
“Single-use disposables are no more complex to use than lighting a cigarette.
“So ‘social smokers’ that have been picking up a vape instead of 20 cigarettes for a night out might well return to their old ways.
“At Totally Wicked we started releasing alternatives to disposable vapes well over two years ago, and the vast majority of our customers had already moved over to them before the ban was announced in 2024.
“So while we have had to prepare for the ban this weekend in our own shops, our bigger challenge has been in helping the wholesale convenience and grocery chains we supply get ready for it.”
Ryan Davies Williams, from Evapo in Shrewsbury, however believes the ban will mean an increase in business.
He said: “Instead of throwing away the disposables that people are doing – around eight million a day – I believe it will bring in a lot more business for the pod or refill systems that will help a lot more people quit smoking.”
Smoking vs. vaping
VAPING has been touted as an effective tool to help people quit smoking.
Though vaping is substantially less harmful than smoking, the habit isn’t completely harmless and comes with its own set of risks.
The NHS only recommends it for adult smokers, to support quitting smoking.
GP and author Dr Philippa Kaye explained to The Sun that the differences between vaping and smoking – and whether one is better than the other – is “complicated”.
“In a nutshell, vaping is better than smoking, but breathing air is better than vaping at all.”
Vaping exposes users to far fewer toxins – and at lower levels – than smoking cigarettes.
Switching to vaping significantly reduces your exposure to toxins that can cause cancer, lung disease, and diseases of the heart and circulation like heart attack and stroke.
These diseases are not caused by nicotine, which is relatively harmless to health. But research has still linked vaping to a higher risk of failure and lung disease.
Health risks of cigarettes
Smokers are more likely than nonsmokers to develop heart disease, stroke, and lung cancer
Smokers are at greater risk for diseases that affect the heart and blood vessels
Smoking can cause lung disease by damaging your airways and the small air sacs
Smoking can cause cancer almost anywhere in your body
It affects overall health too, such as your mouth, eyes, immune system and fertility
Health risks of vaping
They can cause side effects such as throat and mouth irritation, headache, cough and feeling sick
They could lead to tooth decay
They could damage heart health
They could cause lung disease
They could slow brain development
Read more on how vaping can affect your health here.
Sources: NHS, CDC
Vape users themselves had mixed opinions on the ban, with many focusing on how they would stockpile the disposable products.
One customer from Vapes and Candy said yesterday: “I’m buying as many as I possibly can today.
“They are so much easier to use than the refillable ones, which involves a lot of faffing around.
“It is something else to charge, something to remember to charge before you leave the house.
“There is none of that with disposables.”
Austeja Kiskyte, 18, from Heath Town, Wolverhampton, said she supports the ban, despite being a vape user herself.
She said: “I support the ban because you see them on the floor, everywhere – they are bad for the environment.
“You see children using them everyday; it is totally normal.
“I did use disposable vapes for a few years, but recently have been using a refillable vape for a while now because it is cheaper.”
Rebecca Meakin, 18, from Wednesfield, West Midlands, has been vaping for four years and said she wasn’t even aware of the ban.
She said: “I do have a refillable one but the disposable ones are easier.
“I did not know there was a ban, it is a shame – I like them.
“I was vaping when I was 14 as were a lot of friends.”
The 4 horrifying things that can happen to your body after vaping
VAPES were once hailed as miracle devices to help adults ditch cigarettes.
But while the devices don’t carry the same risks as tobacco, experts have warned that vaping might not be so harmless after all.
Here are five ways vaping could damage young users bodies:
1. It could slow down brain development
Vaping nicotine can permanently affect brain development in people under the age of 25, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
It said that nicotine consumed during teenage years can harm the parts of the brain that control attention, learning, mood, and impulse control, as well as increase the risk of addiction.
2. It could lead to tooth decay
Dr Michael Heffernan, a dentist at The Wessex Dental Specialist Care, said most vapes contain dangerous chemical that can harm your teeth and lead to decay.
Puffing on the devices could also lead to mouth dryness, creating an environment in which harmful bacteria can grow.
3. It could damage heart health
However, some of the chemicals found in vapes can be damaging to the heart, with the American Heart Association (AHA) stating that vaping is “as harmful to the body’s cardiovascular systems as cigarettes”.
4. It could cause lung disease
Vaping from a young age could leave children with breathing difficulties, with paediatric respiratory consultant Dr Mike McKean saying he’d seen reports of people developing lung disease related to vaping.
Researchers from the US also found that young people who vape are more at risk of bronchitis, inflammation of the airways, and shortness of breath.
Read more on how vaping can affect your health here.
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