Disposable vape use falling in UK ahead of ban

The popularity of disposable e-cigarettes or vapes has fallen ahead of a UK-wide ban on their sale on 1 June, a study suggests.

The percentage of people aged 16-24 who mainly use disposable vapes has dropped by nearly half in the last year from 63% to 35%, University College London (UCL) researchers say.

But researchers believe vape users are switching to refillable and rechargeable vapes in anticipation of the ban – instead of giving up.

As a result they warn the ban may only have a "limited impact" on vaping rates as it found vaping in general stalled between January 2024 and 2025 in all adults over 16 after several years of significant growth.

Dr Jackson adds that vape manufacturers have also been quick to react to the upcoming ban, with "the most popular" disposable brands producing rechargeable versions of their most popular models.

"They're very similar in design, colours, flavours and even price," she says.

While Dr Jackson thinks it's too early to tell whether the government's new strategy will deter young people from vaping, she maintains that health legislators face "an issue of balance".

"We know it makes sense to do something to try and reduce the vast numbers of young people taking up vaping, but the key public health priority here does remain smoking," she says.

"This is vastly more harmful and is killing a lot of people every year, so we need to make sure that any policy measures that are brought in to tackle youth vaping don't put people off using vapes, which are very effective at quitting smoking," she adds.

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