Public Health Wales has welcomed the introduction of the ban on single use vapes, which comes into force in Wales and across the UK on Sunday, June 1.

There is a clear consensus among health experts that the availability and marketing of disposable vape products has driven a significant rise in vaping among children and young people. Almost 1 in 6 (16 per cent) year eleven students are regularly using vapes and nearly half have tried vaping, according to a Secondary School Children's Health and Well-being Survey by the Schools Health Research Network. Most of these young people had never smoked before taking up vaping.

The Environmental Protection (Single Use Vapes) (Wales) Regulations 2024 will address both environmental and health concerns around the proliferation of disposable vapes. These have offered a cheap, easy to use and widely available product which has been both appealing and easily accessible to children and young people, despite it being illegal to sell nicotine vapes to under-18s, or for adults to buy them for this age group.

The majority of vapes contain nicotine, which is an addictive substance, and regular use can lead to cravings, as well as affecting concentration, memory and the ability to learn. Withdrawal from nicotine can affect sleep, cause headaches, impact on mental well-being and create mood swings.

Mary-Ann McKibben, Consultant in Public Health at Public Health Wales, said: “The evidence is clear: children and young people should not vape. While vaping is safer than smoking for adults, it is not risk–free and we do not yet have a comprehensive understanding of the long-term health effects.

“The ban on disposable vapes is an important step in taking urgent action to prevent a new generation of nicotine-addicted young people. We must ensure we learn from our experience with tobacco and work as hard as possible to prevent the use and uptake of vapes by children and young people.”

“Public Health Wales will soon be launching a new addition to the Help Me Quit website, which will offer a free, personalised digital tool aimed at helping people to safely quit vaping and smoking. This tool is designed to enable people to reduce their dependency on nicotine products and will be launched in the coming weeks.”

The forthcoming UK Tobacco and Vapes Bill, currently going through Parliament, will build on the disposable vapes ban and pave the way for further restrictions on the marketing and sale of all tobacco and vape products. This includes a raft of measures to make vapes much less appealing to children and young people.

Public Health Wales has produced guidance for parents and carers who are concerned about their child’s vaping, which offers practical advice on how to spot signs of vaping and the most effective ways to have conversations with them about vaping.

If you’re concerned about your child vaping, you can contact Help Me Quit for free advice and support on 0800 085 2219 or at helpmequit.wales.