Single-use vape ban to start
The Fire Service and Northamptonshire vapers have been reacting to today's ban on disposables
The ban on single use vapes comes into force today (Sunday 1 June) and we've been hearing reaction from people who use them in the county.
3\1 year old Michael is a former smoker who is also trying to quit vaping. He says he started smoking due to stress at work. He welcomes today's ban on single-use vapes:
"I think it's better for everybody if the disposable vapes do go, and we stick more with either rechargeable stuff or the ones with the liquids. Also causes less pollution to the environment which is a massive thing they do cause."
Analysis by Material Focus released in December showed an estimated 8.2 million vapes were being thrown away or littered every week in the UK - the equivalent of 13 per second.
Michael also doesn't think a lack of access to single-use will see people who vape turn to cigarettes:
"Even when the disposables do go, they'll still be able to by vape-mods and re-chargeables, so I don't think it's true that people will turn to cigarettes."
Illegal single-use Vapes
With the ban coming into force Crimestoppers are encouraging people to report the sale of disposable and illegal vapes. These can be ones with more than the recommended limit of nicotine strength (20mg/ml or 2%).
They say criminal gangs are involved in the sale of the products and often provide them to children to encourage them to get involved in illicit activities.
Lydia Patsalides is the East Midlands Regional Manager for Crimestoppers:
"They're used by criminal gangs to coerce young people to coerce vulnerable people, often encouraging them to buy and sell illicit vapes so that they are then paid in money or some kind of other favours."
She wants people to report any sales of single-use and is concerned it could lead to a black market in the items:
"This is a source of income for some criminals, so they will try to find a way around that. But not only that, it's likely to push it underground, so there will be a secrecy and hiding."
They keen to hear about suppliers, stores and descriptions of people. They are urging people to look out for items with poor labelling and lack of health warnings.
Ryan Michlig of Right Vape in Northampton welcomes the ban. His store also over stop smoking and stop vaping services.
"What we've got to do now is educate users on switching to reusable products, but obviously what we don't want to do is encourage people. It's a very, very fine line."
He thinks it will take 5 to 10 years before we stop seeing these products available.
Fire Hazards
The Fire Service welcomes the single-use ban as vapes contain lithium-ion batteries, which have raised concerns over their fire risk when overcharged, and both disposable and rechargeable can cause fires if not disposed of properly.
Around 82% of Brits have been stockpiling according to research with the Northamptonshire Fire & Rescue reminding people to store them away from anything that could cause them to set alight. That includes cigarettes and candles.
Vapes should never be disposed of in waste bins, but should be taken to specialist recycling centres, or disposed of in bins in supermarkets.
Once damaged they have been known to cause bin fires.
What will happen after 1 June?
Local authority Trading Standards will lead on enforcing the ban in England with people concerned about their sale urged to contact Trading Standards.
Trading Standards will be able to seize any single-use vapes they find and issue a stop notice as well as a fine of £200.
Continue to supply after that could result in a prison sentence of 2 years, an unlimited fine or both.
If you want to find a local NHS stop smoking service you can find one here.