E-cigarettes (symbolic image): Act before the trend becomes endemic
Photo: Sean Gallup/Getty Images
Disposable e-cigarettes are to be banned in the UK to protect minors. The British government announced on Monday that the aim is to combat the increase in consumption among young people and protect the health of children. To achieve this, the choice of flavors should be limited. Manufacturers would have to produce simpler and less visually appealing packaging, it was said. The so-called disposable vapes may also only be offered out of the sight of minors and away from products such as sweets that are aimed at children.
The increase in e-cigarette use among minors is one of the most worrying trends, said Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. "That's why we have to act before it becomes endemic." The long-term effects are unknown, and the nicotine it contains can be addictive. »Therefore, vaping can be a useful tool to help smokers quit. However, marketing vapes to minors is unacceptable,” said Sunak. Parliament in London still has to approve the project.
Health and environmental activists welcomed the move. An estimated five million disposable vapes are thrown away every week. Last year there were 1.3 million. Around one in ten young people in the UK aged between 11 and 15 use e-cigarettes. Teachers report signs of addictive behavior in the classroom. Around 80,000 people die every year in the UK as a result of smoking.
Prime Minister Sunak had previously announced strict anti-tobacco laws. According to the plans, children and young people who turn 15 this year should never be able to legally buy a cigarette in their lives. To this end, Sunak wants to increase the minimum age for buying tobacco products by one year every year.
mik/dpa AFX