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While well-intentioned, such a move would be a ‘policy miscalculation’ that would do more harm than good.
Disposables have become hugely popular amongst adult smokers who are looking to move away from combustible tobacco, with their convenience and accessibility meaning there is near enough no learning curve for new users.
These products are especially favourable among low-income smokers, who benefit from their affordability.”
By removing the simplest option, you may well drive existing vapers back to combustible tobacco and risk turning current smokers away from making the switch to e-cigarettes – which the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities says pose a ‘fraction of the risk of smoking’.
On environmental concerns, a new Waste Experts study found single-use vapes are actually highly recyclable and can achieve recycling and recovery targets to meet the WEEE Directive.
However, the report – which was recently unveiled in the Houses of Parliament – identified that many consumers ‘don’t try to recycle these products because they do not know they should or have easy access to a recycling option’.
Addressing the problem of youth vaping and the environmental impact of single-use vapes is critical, but banning the entire disposable category is not the answer.
While we share the concerns of the British government towards youth vaping, and we do support a joint effort between the government and industry players to find solutions to such challenges, we do believe that banning these products will deprive adult smokers of a viable alternative to continuing to smoke combustible cigarettes.
We shouldn’t have to choose between protecting the planet and providing smokers with a convenient, easy-to-use and potentially less harmful alternative to combustible tobacco – which claims 220 lives every day in the UK alone.
Dr Marina Murphy is senior director of scientific and medical affairs for ANDS – a trademark owner and distributor of alternative nicotine delivery systems
