Wiltshire public health Director welcomes disposable vape sale ban
Stores have until June 1st 2025 to sell remaining stock
Education has been highlighted as the key to preventing young people in Wiltshire from vaping.
Wiltshire's Director of Public Health, Professor Kate Blackburn, has spoken to Greatest Hits Radio and welcomed the decision to ban disposable vape sales from next June.
Shops have until 1st June 2025 to sell their remaining stock.
The move is part of the Tobacco and Vapes bill, in a bid to achieve a smoke-free generation.
Professor Blackburn said vapes are part of a toolbox to quitting smoking - but they're not designed for people who've never smoked before, or children.
"Vaping is not risk free," she said: "What we've seen with these disposable vapes, they have driven quite an alarming rise in youth vaping.
They're available at pocket money prices. They've got some very 'moorish' flavours and they have really appealing packaging, but I think what we really have to remember is that like smoking vapour, vaping is an addiction, due to the nicotine in the vape."
Prof. Blackburn added that it's vital to close any loopholes that people may be able to exploit in order to protect vulnerable people from illegal supplies of vapes and tobacco.
She told us around £20 million pounds has been allocated to border enforcement to prevent illicit products entering the UK.
Prof. Blackburn is calling for 'united action' on both a national and local scale.
"We can all support the residents of Wiltshire to receive the right support," she told us, adding that we can report concerns about inappropriate advertising or businesses selling age-restricted products to children to Wiltshire Council.
She said education is the hub of keeping young people safe - but study the public health team carried out found that the perception of how many young people vape is bigger than reality.
"It's really interesting that I think there's a perception that far more children and young people are vaping than they actually are and it's beginning to understand why those children and young people are vaping.
"Is it because it's cool? Is it the cool thing to do? Are they doing it to try and help manage some emotional issues, they may be having?
"So it's really about understanding from the evidence what type of education and messaging we can really support our local people with."