Vapid?

Between 2012 and 2023, England's vape usage grew by more than 400%. Currently, almost 10% of the English public buy and use these products. Some of this use has been actively encouraged in cigarette smokers, to reduce their risk of lung cancer. A proportion, however, are young individuals, who have never previously smoked cigarettes. The tobacco companies clearly see vapes as a means of maintaining their profits. Single-use vapes, with child-friendly flavours and packaging, have been strongly marketed to encourage the next generation of nicotine addicts. The precise health effects of prolonged vaping are, as yet, uncharted. Single-use vapes also present a considerable environmental problem. They are rarely recycled. Their mixture of plastics, metals, chemicals and electronics, makes this difficult. Single-use vapes are generally simply dropped in the streets. These devices are fire risks. Vaping devices also waste enormous quantities of lithium (and other materials), that could be used to produce Electric Vehicle batteries etc. The UK government plans to introduce a disposable vapes ban 'before Christmas' 2024. Their Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) carried out a survey of vape-users. They claim that almost 30% might return to cigarette smoking, with 'health disbenefits' (https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/nov/01/disposable-vapes-ban-could-push-users-back-smoking-defra). It seems odd that DEFRA are apparently using their position to warn government ministers of a potential health 'danger' of a single-use vape ban. Their role ought have a focus on environmental impacts. Surely, it's the UK Health Security Agency that should be considering potential 'health disbenefits'. There must be ways of encouraging ex-cigarette smokers to stick to vaping. Single-use vapes shouldn't be part of this 'solution'. Only the tobacco companies 'need' a new generation of nicotine addicts.