Disposable vape ban 'could push some users back to cigarettes'

Ministers have acknowledged that a plan to ban the sale of disposable vapes by next summer could lead some users to revert or relapse to cigarette smoking.

- Aletha Adu

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) had earlier said vape usage in England rose by more than 400% between 2012 and 2023, with 9.1% of the British public buying and using the products.

Legislation due to be introduced this year would ban the sale of single-use vapes, in part to limit the environmental damage they cause.

However, a Defra report found 29% of current users "would revert/relapse to smoking tobacco" as a result of the ban and "there could be health disbenefits".