In an announcement earlier today, Chancellor Rishi Sunak said disposable e-cigarettes would be banned in the UK, with restrictions on certain flavors and regulations in place regarding packaging and labelling. The New York Times reports: Sunak said the ban, part of a bill that still needs parliamentary approval, aims to stop “one of the most worrying trends of our time” before it becomes “endemic.” said. “The long-term effects of e-cigarettes are unknown and the nicotine in e-cigarettes can be highly addictive, so e-cigarettes can be a useful tool to help smokers quit,” he said in a statement. “Marketing e-cigarettes to children is unacceptable.” UK Health Secretary Andrea Leadsom said the measure was aimed at ensuring that e-cigarettes were targeted at non-smoking adults, not children.
“Nicotine is so addictive that it is completely unacceptable for children to have access to these products, many of which are undoubtedly designed to appeal to young people,” she said in a statement. . […] Although it is not illegal for people under 18 to smoke or vape in the UK, it is illegal to sell these products to them. By banning disposable e-cigs and restricting the flavors and packaging of refillable e-cigs, the government hopes to significantly reduce the likelihood that young people will try e-cigs.
