Great Britain prohibits disposable e-cigarettes: what that means for young people!

Great Britain prohibits disposable e-cigarettes: what that means for young people!

In the United Kingdom, the use of one-way cigarettes is increasingly becoming a problem child, especially because more and more young people consume these products. According to lvz.de , particularly flavored devices have a high level of attraction. From June 1, 2024, a nationwide ban will come into force for the sales of such e-cigarettes that will apply to all sales outlets, including online shops.

Around 8.2 million disposable vapes are disposed of in Great Britain every week, which means terrifying 13 pieces per second. Many of these devices not only end up in the trash, but also in the environment, on sidewalks and in parks. Disposal is not only an environmental problem, since the devices contain lithium batteries, heavy metals and plastics that are difficult to recycle, but also endangers biodiversity.

youth protection measures and market surveillance

Protection of minors is a decisive topic in connection with the consumption of e-cigarettes. In Germany, a drug affinity study from 2023 shows that 6.7 % of 12 to 17-year-olds use disposable E-cigarettes. This is reinforced by a wide variety of marketing strategies that target young people. An industry association has found that unauthorized e-cigarettes were sold in 75 % of the tested shisha shops, while kiosks and Spätis had a quota of 20 %. According to tagesschau.de such offenses are a sign of a prison deficit among the authorities that should take care of the protection of young people.

In Germany, the sale of e-cigarettes to under 18 year olds has been banned since April 2016, but this is obviously not sufficiently enforced. The World Health Organization criticizes the fact that industry appeals to children through its marketing strategies. The Federal Commissioner for Drug Policy, Burkhard Blienert, also calls for a ban on disposable e-cigarettes.

legal framework and further measures

The the delivery and consumption of e-cigarettes to children and adolescents under the age of 18 are prohibited. In addition, the distribution of tobacco products to minors is strictly regulated.