UK sets out plan to achieve a smoke-free generation

The United Kingdom has presented a plan to combat smoking and vaping, particularly among young people. Among the key measures, disposable e-cigarettes are set to be banned and vaping products more strictly regulated. A ban on the sale of tobacco to people born in 2009 or later is also confirmed.

Following on from the announcements made in autumn 2023, the UK government presented on 29 January 2024 a package of measures to reduce smoking and vaping, in order to protect the health of young people.[1]. While the ban on single-use electronic cigarettes ("puffs") is the most significant, many other provisions aim to better regulate the trade in vaping products. The draft of a sales ban tobacco products to anyone born on or after January 1, 2009 is maintained.

These measures are intended to achieve a tobacco-free generation in the UK, meaning fewer than 5,100 smokers in the population by 2030. They will be submitted to Parliament in early February, which will be their only legislative window at the end of this term. A budget of £30 million (€35 million) is planned annually to allow the various government agencies to implement them.

More restrictive measures to regulate vaping products

These proposals follow the public consultation on vaping products, conducted by the government between October and December 2023. The ban on puffs, called for by many health professionals because they target young people, should be enacted. It should also partly respond to the invasion of contraband puffs noted by customs services, with the number of seizures having more than quadrupled in just one year: 4.54 million illegal puffs were seized between January and October 2023, compared to 988,064 in 2022 and 4,430 in 2021.[2]The ban on puffs also responds to an environmental concern; 5 million puffs were in fact thrown away each week, most often among household waste, compared to 1.4 million in 2022.[3]Several countries have already adopted a similar ban or are preparing one, such as France and Belgium.

The action plan also includes introducing plain packaging for vaping products, similar to what is already required for tobacco products. Vaping product displays will soon be banned and will have to be hidden from customer view. The number of flavours allowed for e-liquids is set to be reduced to four categories; the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends eliminating all flavours from e-liquids.

In England and Wales, fines for selling vaping products to minors will also be increased to £2,500 (€2,925). Trade enforcement officers are being asked to issue fines for offences at points of sale. The sale of nicotine pouches will also be banned to minors under the age of 18.

Government toughens tone on vaping products

Health professionals welcomed the measures announced. These take up some of their requests long time, particularly on the ban on puffs, the restriction of flavours and the generational ban on tobacco products. The tobacco and vaping industry has greeted these announcements with much more reservations. Taking up an ultra-liberal argument, former Prime Minister Liz Truss, whose government had distinguished itself by pro-tobacco positions, has for her part estimated that"A Conservative government should not seek to expand the nanny state"[4].

In recent years, by prioritizing e-cigarettes to facilitate smoking cessation, the United Kingdom has relaxed his efforts in the fight against smoking. However, smoking prevalence has increased slightly since 2019, a first in more than thirty years.

Keywords: UK, disposable e-cigarettes, puffs, flavours, plain packaging, stalls, tobacco-free generation

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[1] Disposable vapes banned to protect children's health, UK Government, published 27 January 2024, accessed 29 January 2024.

[2] Rawlinson K, Vapes may be limited to four flavors in drive to stop UK children getting hooked, The Guardian, published January 27, 2024, accessed January 29, 2024.

[3] Hall R, Disposable vapes to be banned in UK as part of drive to curb youth vaping, The Guardian, published January 28, 2024, accessed January 29, 2024.

[4] Parker G, Barnes O, UK to ban disposable vapes as Rishi Sunak warns of 'endemic' impact on youth, Financial Times, published January 28, 2024, accessed January 29, 2024.