Should disposable vapes be banned?

[~ True Legend ~]

Disposable vapes cause litter problems, are a fire hazard and appeal too strongly to children, according to local councils in England and Wales.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-66204853

UK Councils want them to be banned by 2024.

Benefits of disposable vapes

The UK Vaping Industry Association says they help smokers quit and can be recycled.

Councils are not against vaping altogether as they believe vapes are less harmful than tobacco and can help smokers to quit.
John Dunne, director general of the UK Vaping Industry Association, said that the “low price, accessibility and ease of use” of disposable products had helped bring UK smoking rates to an "all-time low”.

 

The anti-smoking charity ASH said it did not support a ban, as it would "turbo-charge" illegal sales, increasing the risk that children would be able to buy them. It favours higher taxes on disposables and stronger controls on import and sales, deputy chief executive Hazel Cheeseman said.

 

"The illicit market will simply fill the void with products that are unlicensed and unregulated containing substances that potentially pose a health risk."

Problems with disposable vapes

Councillor David Fothergill, chairman of the LGA’s Community Wellbeing Board, said: “Disposable vapes are fundamentally flawed in their design and inherently unsustainable products, meaning an outright ban will prove more effective than attempts to recycle more vapes.”

 

Disposable ones also contain a small lithium battery, which can increase in temperature when crushed, causing fires in bin lorries, the Local Government Association (LGA) warns.

 

Councils are also worried that disposable varieties with “fruity and bubble gum flavours, and colourful child-friendly packaging” could appeal to under-age vapers, and called for restrictions on their display and marketing, similar to those used for conventional tobacco.

[Shiny Star]

I would vote no. Although I do see how disposable vapes can be addictive due to their sweet flavours and pretty packaging, I do see it as an alternative to smoking. It can be dangerous in ways though.

[~ True Legend ~]

I would vote no. Although I do see how disposable vapes can be addictive due to their sweet flavours and pretty packaging, I do see it as an alternative to smoking. It can be dangerous in ways though.

It's true. You're more likely to have more because you get complacent about the damage caused, and so the difference is negligent.

[Shiny Star]

I would vote no. Although I do see how disposable vapes can be addictive due to their sweet flavours and pretty packaging, I do see it as an alternative to smoking. It can be dangerous in ways though.

It's true. You're more likely to have more because you get complacent about the damage caused, and so the difference is negligent.

I do think vaping is probably more dangerous than smoking. 

- tastier flavours
- vapes are cheaper than a pack of cigarettes 
​​​​- vaping inside is more acceptable than smoking outside. as smoking outside requires more effort, people may not always bother 
- peers vape as it seems to be ‘cooler’ than smoking
- vapes still contain nicotine (unless you get one without)
- more artificial chemicals and less research about vapes, especially longitudinal data 
- no warning labels like how cigarettes have it
- do not need a lighter to use 

I think there is the risk of young people or children getting ahold of vapes. I remember I used to walk to school and see people smoking. I see more younger people vaping, or I pay attention to it more now. A lot of my peers tend to vape now over smoking too and have offered puffs to me. So yeah, I see your point on the dangers and stuff. But whether it should be banned I guess that’s a whole debate. Maybe there should be more restrictions as younger people shouldn’t be vaping, especially if they’re too young to buy it. But I guess there’s always a grey area with it, like do we ban alcohol? Do we legalise weed?

[Pyrite]

I would rather that anything dangerous and addictive be put behind a massive paywall and made difficult to purchase and dispose of. In other words, as discouraged as possible. It's unlikely, of course, but my preference would be for a ban on disposable vapes.

As Shiny pointed out, vaping is so much more attractive to younger people - and most people probably assume that there will be no side-effects to it. Which is something that we just don't know without the studies being in place. It essentially turns the upcoming generations into a group of test subjects.

However, I do think that a ban on disposable vaping would be difficult to enforce. It's hard enough stopping people from using laughing gas canisters.

[~ True Legend ~]

I agree with both Shiny Star and Pyrite although this would ironically make it even easier for kids to gain access to vapes, as the illegal market will be flooded with them.

[Shiny Star]

That’s the thing. They’re so intergrated into the market and across the population it would be hard to ban them. I’m sure there’s nice tax money on them too. I always wonder the same about illegal drugs, they’re being sold anyway but what is the better option?

[~ True Legend ~]

That’s the thing. They’re so intergrated into the market and across the population it would be hard to ban them. I’m sure there’s nice tax money on them too. I always wonder the same about illegal drugs, they’re being sold anyway but what is the better option?

True. Illegal drugs are not as common place. But I imagine they were when they were initially made illegal.

[Pyrite]

I sort of think that if you can put anything behind either a paywall or an illegality rule you do reduce the overall number of people who will do that thing. However, I also think that for the people who do get into it, once they have crossed that barrier of illegality, they are more likely to struggle with addiction.

[~ True Legend ~]

I sort of think that if you can put anything behind either a paywall or an illegality rule you do reduce the overall number of people who will do that thing. However, I also think that for the people who do get into it, once they have crossed that barrier of illegality, they are more likely to struggle with addiction.

Correlation != cause and effect . Maybe the level of addiction is a factor in considering what makes drugs illegal? Just something to consider