Scotland will be first in UK to ban single-use vapes

Anti-smoking campaigners have praised a unanimous vote in the Scottish Parliament for Scotland to become the first in the UK to ban disposable e-cigarettes.

Similar country-specific regulations are anticipated to be considered in the Senedd, Stormont and Westminster, with the aim of delivering a UK-wide ban of single-use vapes from 1 April 2025.

The ban on single-use vapes is being taken forward using powers under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. This approach has been used in the past to ban other items such as microbeads, cotton buds and single use plastics.

The ban is due to come into effect on 1 April 2025.

Sheila Duffy, chief executive of health charity ASH Scotland, said: “We congratulate cross-party MSPs for taking leading action by voting unanimously to enable Scotland to become the first nation in the UK to ban health and environmental harming single-use vapes.

“With disposable recreational e-cigarettes, which are the product of choice for the majority of children who vape, containing high levels of addictive nicotine as well as toxic chemicals that have not been safety tested for inhalation, ASH Scotland welcomes the ban as a vital stride forward towards protecting both Scotland’s environment and the health of our young people now and future generations.”

Zero Waste Scotland estimates that up to 26 million disposable vapes were consumed and thrown away in Scotland in the last year, with 10% being littered and more than half disposed of incorrectly.