Banning Disposable Vapes ‘May End Up Creating Black Market’

Retailers selling disposable vapes should consider focusing on refillable e-cigarettes as the government plans to crack down on littering. 

However, the move has been criticised by vaping organisations, saying it could lead to a black market of illegal, unregulated vaping products.

Disposable vapes are incredibly popular thanks to the fact they do not need to be refilled. 

However, the Local Government Association (LGA) claims they are a fire hazard due to their lithium battery and have unsustainable packaging, the BBC reported. 

Even so, the UK Vaping Industry Association still supports disposable vapes as a tool to reduce smoking numbers. 

Director general of the organisation John Dunne told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “Disposables have been around for well over a decade and provide a low priced accessible product that helps smokers to quit tobacco.”

Although the LGA wants to ban disposable vapes by 2024 to avoid having to dispose of the 1.3 million vapes thrown away every week, Mr Dunne said this could lead to other problems. 

He stated banning them could result in a “potentially deadly” black market of disposable vapes that do not meet legal regulations.

Anti-smoking charity ASH is also concerned about the ban, worried it could “turbocharge” sales of illegal disposable vapes and increase the likelihood of children buying them. 

Instead, it wants tighter controls on imports and sales to reduce illegal purchases in the UK. 

This comes after more than £400,000 worth of illegal vapes were seized in Salford, including 35,000 disposable vapes. 

Some of the products contained 11 times the legal limit of e-liquid, putting buyers at risk. 

Here at DIY Vapes, we only stock quality legal products that ensure businesses that buy from us are compliant with regulations. To diversify your stock, take a look at our e-liquid mixing kits.