Sharp Rise in Smoking After UK Ban on Disposable Vapes
Key Takeaways
- Use of cigarettes and illegal vapes has increased since the ban
- Illegal vape sales are rising
- 51% wrongly believe vaping is as harmful or worse than smoking
- Haypp urges balanced regulation and access to safer nicotine options
Ban Triggers Rise in Smoking and Illegal Vape Use
Since June, it has been illegal to sell disposable vapes in the UK. The ban aimed to reduce environmental impact and limit access to nicotine products believed to attract young people.
But according to the survey, 26% of former disposable vape users have now either increased their cigarette consumption, returned to smoking entirely, or started using illegal disposable vapes.
A Need for Alternative Nicotine Products
Markus Lindblad, Head of External Affairs at Haypp, describes the development as concerning:
"It is a sad but unfortunately not unexpected development from the ban, that people are returning to cigarettes. In order to reduce the figures for deadly smoking, high cigarette prices alone are not enough – smokers must also be offered various alternatives so they can find something that suits them. Alternatives such as vapes and snus, with or without tobacco, need to stay on the market."
The government had previously been warned that a ban on flavoured vapes could drive hundreds of thousands of Britons back to cigarettes.
Increased Awareness About Illegal Trade
The survey also shows that more than one in five adults in the UK are aware that illegal disposable vapes are still being sold in their area – an increase compared with the end of 2024.
"Increased illegal trade simultaneously increases access for children and young people, which was hardly the government’s intention."
Another worrying trend is that 51% of UK adults incorrectly believe that vaping is as harmful or more harmful than smoking. This stands in contrast to the broad scientific consensus that vaping is a significantly less harmful alternative to smoking tobacco.
Lindblad concludes: "If the government truly wants to reduce the proportion of smokers, major information campaigns are required. A successful tobacco prevention also requires a balance between regulation and access to less harmful nicotine products, to avoid smokers falling back into cigarette use.”
