Will the impending vape ban solve the youth vape crisis? Or set up a black market that will increase the problem tenfold?
Although first patented nearly a century ago by Joseph Robinson in the US, electronic cigarettes, or vaporizers (vapes) have become a mainstay in the public consciousness as an alternative to smoking following the introduction of flavoured disposable vapes in 2019.
Since then, vapes have been the subject of public scrutiny for several reasons. Some say their colourful packaging and wide array of flavour choices are intended to bag a younger demographic of customers. Others say that the departure from naming them based on their ownership is deceptive and intended to wash away the bad reputations of “big tobacco.”
June 1, 2025 marks the official disposable vape ban in the UK. However, Westminster’s stance on the matter was not always so rigid. It seems not long ago under the Tory-Lib Dem coalition that then PM David Cameron encouraged the use of vapes.
Famously, a 2015 independent report commissioned by the government claimed that vaping was “95 per cent less harmful,” than smoking. The Tory stance on the matter did not shift under Prime Minsters Theresa May or Boris Johnson. It was not until 2020, under PM Truss’ brief leadership that vapes were under scrutiny. This coincided with the mass-market release of disposable vapes in a wide range of flavours.
But it was not until Prime Minister Sunak’s leadership that any legislative efforts were made to address the problem. The Tory government from 2023 introduced the Tobacco & Vapes Bill, aimed at further regulating the industry.
However, the snap-election was called, campaigning was underway and the bill did not make it during the “wash-up” period following the election’s announcement. It appeared to be tabled, indefinitely. As the dust settled on the election, the King’s speech that opened parliament re-introduced the Tobacco & Vapes bill.
This time however, their goals went beyond just banning disposable vapes, 260 million of which are thrown out annually in the UK. They intend on curbing the packaging, flavours available and points-of-sale, in an effort to make the whole affair less attractive to consumers.
But – will these steps actually curb vaping? With corner shops selling vapes that retail for nearly £5.99 at a fraction of the price, consumers can hoard vapes to skirt the ban, at least until their personal supply runs out.
They cannot go back to disposables after; they will have to settle for refillable vapes available only in a few flavours. Some researchers warn that this sudden tightening of regulations may lead to users turning to more dangerous cigarettes to get their nicotine fix.
Despite the act of vaping mostly being associated with younger Gen-Z consumers, research from tobacco free nicotine retailer Haypp, suggests that 89 per cent of middle-aged male vapers will be stockpiling the banned substance.
While not illegal, it brings into question the aspect of black-market retailers. This is a common problem in countries like Bhutan, where a total tobacco ban (cigarettes or otherwise,) came into effect in 2010, but resulted in a fledgling black market for the products. Is this the future for the UK’s vapers too?
This vape ban could not come at a worse time for the tobacco industry either. British American Tobacco (BAT), one of the world’s largest tobacco manufacturers, reported in late 2024 that they were on track to make more profits from selling vapes than any other tobacco product.
BAT also sponsored research in Toxicology Letters, which resulted in a favourable analysis of vapes as containing “fewer harmful substances,” than cigarettes. BAT is not the only one taking part in this shady practice. The aforementioned 2015 report commissioned by PM Cameron’s government was also alleged to be biased, and authored by those with ties to tobacco giants.
The Lancet Journals criticized the report as a guesstimate at best. They wrote that the PHE report suffered from a “lack of hard evidence for the harms of most products on most of the criteria.”
Retailers like off-license shops and product-specific vape shops are also to blame for selling vapes to underage customers. A University of Edinburgh report showed that the profit margin for vapes was nearly 4 times higher than that of tobacco products.
The number of products sold has also increased nearly tenfold in the three years they studied. The Met Police recently conducted a raid on one such corner shop only to find several thousands of pounds worth of illegal vapes hidden away behind the shops.
What stops stockpilers from doing the same and creating a vast black market beyond the vape ban?
The harms of vape are obvious and abundant. Teenagers end up in hospital on what seems to be a weekly basis with vaping-related conditions, be they a collapsed lung or a life-threatening lung infection. The government’s steps to address youth overconsumption of vaping may end up a success, but, what about the issue’s source? Tobacco companies like Philip Morris International (PMI), or R.J.
Reynolds and British American Tobacco who sponsor major sports teams like McLaren Motorsports in the UK or British American Tobacco sponsoring Tomorrowland, a music festival popular with the younger generations?
How effective will the vape ban really be: If big tobacco can change their product’s name and wipe their reputation clean and appeal to a younger generation once, can’t they do it again? It was disposable vapes yesterday; might it be heated tobacco tomorrow? And vape Juices for refillable vapes the day after?
Featured image via B..Robinson / Shutterstock.
Author: Adithya Dattatreya
