Full list of major vaping changes set to happen in UK crackdown
The government is launching an eight-week consultation on vaping in the hopes of determining how it can crack down on the addictive devices.
A list of seven potential restrictions has been laid out to try and make vaping something smokers can use to quit while not being taken up by so many children.
Selling vapes to under 18s is illegal but according to the NHS one in 10 children aged between 11 and 15 smoke e-cigarettes.
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Hospital admissions for children because of vaping quadrupled in a year and while e-cigs are less damaging than smoking they are by no means a healthy thing.
The government is concerned that a generation of children is becoming addicted to vaping as the habit has exploded in popularity and will be considering seven options as part of its crackdown:
Restricting flavours of vapes so they appeal less to children
The government could look at getting rid of flavours of vapes which are seen as made to target children.
In March a Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson told LADbible about the view on flavoured vapes: "Smoking kills, so our priority is to prevent people smoking, and supporting them to quit.
"The government remains committed to our ambition to be smoke-free by 2030.
"However, while vaping is a preferable alternative to smoking for adults, we are concerned about the rise in youth vaping, particularly the increasing use of disposable vaping products.
"We are exploring a range of measures to address this – including clamping down on children accessing vapes illegally, and those who are getting them hooked on nicotine.
"It’s right for the government to do all it can to protect children from addiction."
Cracking down on displays in shops
Vapes on the shelves of shops might soon be a thing of the past as e-cigarettes might get the smoking treatment.
They could instead become something you can only get from behind the counter.
Tackling packaging
Going for the cigarette approach by plastering packs with pictures of damaged lungs might be out of the question but on the table is the idea of getting rid of brightly coloured vapes.
Just as fruity and sweet flavours are thought to appeal to children so too are garish colours thought to entice younger generations and could end up being a thing of the past.
Ditching the disposable vapes
More than half of vapers have used disposable vapes, but under government plans they could disappear from shelves in the UK.
Government ministers worry that these things are both attractive to children and harmful to the environment.
Nailing other nicotine products
With nicotine addiction such a dangerous part of vaping and smoking there could be action taken against other products such as snus which can get people hooked on the habit.
Nicotine pouches could also find themselves on the chopping block.
Pumping up the prices
Some charities have called for vapes to become more expensive to stop children from spending their pocket money on the habit.
There are disposable vapes which can be bought for a fiver and there could be punitive taxes slapped on vaping to make it much more expensive to get into.
New powers to punish
Local authorities could have new abilities to punish those who are breaking the law around vaping and selling vapes.
Retailers could face on-the-spot fines for places which are caught selling to under 18s and which do not carry out proper ID checks.
The views of charities, expert groups and the vaping industry will be sought over the eight-week consultation period.
Joe Harker