College welcomes ban on disposable vapes

College welcomes ban on disposable vapes

The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (“the College”) is welcoming the confirmation that disposable vapes will be banned across the UK following a consultation. The UK Government has also confirmed that it will introduce new legislation to make it illegal to sell tobacco products to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009, as it seeks to create a smokefree generation.

Speaking today Professor Andrew Elder, President of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, said:

The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh warmly welcomes this announcement of a ban on disposable vapes, having consistently argued for such a move.

Our priority has always been to protect the health of children and young people from products which may have a significant and negative long term impact on their well-being, including tobacco products

The health risks to children and young people come not only from the harmful chemical substances, sometimes toxic, to be found in some vapes but in the fact that research from the World Health Organisation shows that young people who vape are up to three times as likely to start smoking. There are also environmental impacts relating to the use of these disposable products which are also an important consideration – many members of the public will witness discarded vapes on our streets and green spaces

We have been pleased to work with colleagues across a range of charities to make the case for an outright ban on disposable vapes, and it is pleasing that governments across the UK have listened to the arguments we have put forward.

We also welcome the decision to move ahead with new legislation making it illegal to sell tobacco products to anyone born after 1 January 2009. This means that the UK will be a world leader in introducing measures aimed at restricting smoking and protecting future generations from smoking harms.