UP IN SMOKE

RETAILERS NOT CONVINCED BY DISPOSABLE VAPE BAN

- By JAMIE GREER

SHOP owners have raised concerns about the government's ban on disposable vapes.

From today, it is illegal to sell single-use vapes at corner shops and supermarkets. The government has said this will put an end to what has been an “alarming rise” in school playgrounds and an “avalanche of rubbish flooding the nation's streets”.

According to data from the charity Action On Smoking And Health, the number of vapers in Great Britain who mainly use single-use devices has fallen, but usage among young vapers is still considered too high, and with the ban coming into force today, it will continue to drive these figures down further.

Additionally, around five million vapes are thrown away each week in the UK alone, creating unnecessary plastic waste, with many found to have unidentified ingredients that could have harmful side effects.

The ban has been met with a mixed reaction from owners of vape shops.

Adam Williams, 64, who lives in Bootle, runs Rojeans in the Cavern Walks shopping centre.

Adam has never sold disposable vapes in his city centre shop, instead selling refillable products.

He believes customers should use more sustainable products, which have refillable liquids and can last several months, and thinks non-smokers should not take up vaping.

However, he remains sceptical about whether an outright ban on disposables will be better for the environment and discourage children.

He told the ECHO: “It’s not going to stop people selling their disposables, because they're already on the wholesale market.

“What will happen is that you won't see them in the shop window anymore. But you will see them coming under the counter or via catalogues.

“I don’t think you're going to see a great deal of difference in it, especially when you can still buy the cheapest refillable vapes for about £1 more than disposable vapes. They're rechargeable, but you see plenty of them in the gutter.”