The UK’s disposable vape ban is backfiring, even driving people back to smoking. Photo credit: Sarahjohnson1, Pixabay.
Questions are mounting over the UK government’s ban on disposable vapes, as new research shows nearly a quarter of users are still buying them illegally.
A survey by online nicotine retailer Haypp found that 63% of vapers continue using single-use devices, even though their sale became illegal in early June. Among 25- to 34-year-olds, that figure rises sharply to 82%. Overall, 35% of disposable vape users — equal to 21% of all vapers surveyed — admitted they still purchase the products, while others said they stocked up before the ban took effect.
The study suggests the black-market trade remains widespread and easily accessible. More than half of those who said they bought disposable vapes reported getting them from local corner shops, while one-third purchased from specialty vape retailers and a quarter online. About 1 in 5 bought from market stalls, and others sourced them through friends, family, or social media.
The government introduced the ban to discourage youth vaping and reduce environmental waste after research estimated that more than five million disposable vapes were being discarded weekly. But Haypp’s findings indicate the measure may not be having its intended effect — and could even be driving some users back to cigarettes. Six percent of respondents said they had returned to smoking traditional tobacco products since the ban.
Industry observers say the continued availability of disposables highlights serious flaws in enforcement. Local councils and Trading Standards teams are tasked with upholding the new rules, which make it a criminal offense to sell or supply disposable vapes — defined as devices that can’t be refilled or recharged. Enforcement officers can issue stop or compliance notices and impose £200 (US$255) fines for first offenses, with repeat violations leading to prosecution.
Markus Lindblad, Haypp’s head of external affairs, said the findings reveal how ineffective the ban has been so far. “The data from our latest report clearly demonstrates that the disposable vape ban is not yet working as expected. The widespread availability of these illegal devices points to a very active black market that will be very difficult to police,” he said.
He added that many users appear to have stockpiled large quantities of disposable vapes before the ban, which also raises safety concerns because of their built-in lithium batteries. “In this context, the government’s plan to introduce a retail licensing scheme for tobacco and nicotine products is a welcome and necessary move,” Lindblad said.
To support enforcement, the government allocated an extra £10 million (US$12.7 million) this fiscal year to Trading Standards teams to combat illegal sales and reduce youth access to nicotine products. However, critics argue that the additional funding falls far short of what’s needed.
Trading Standards departments across the UK have long reported being underfunded and understaffed, limiting their ability to conduct inspections or pursue prosecutions. The Association of Convenience Stores estimates that at least £30 million (US$38 million) per year over the next 5 years would be necessary to effectively police the illicit trade.
The disposable vape ban was one of the government’s flagship public health measures aimed at addressing both youth vaping and environmental concerns. Yet, 4 months after its introduction, the persistence of black-market sales and the reported return of some users to smoking suggest that the policy may be backfiring in key areas.