The UK’s ban on single-use vapes could push nearly a third (29 per cent) of vapers back to smoking, a new report has warned.
Ministers have been told by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) that the disposable vapes ban could lead to many vapers “reverting or relapsing” back to the far more dangerous habit.
Last week the UK government confirmed it will ban single use vapes from June 1, 2025 in a bid to curb their appeal to young people and help reduce environmental damage.
There could be “health disbenefits”
However, Defra has now warned the move could have unintended negative health consequences.
Its report says that “29 per cent of current [people who vape] will either revert/relapse to smoking tobacco” as a result of the ban” and “if the ban is increasing use of cigarettes there could be health disbenefits”.
The report added: “We have assumed that most users of disposable vapes will switch to reusable vapes, however there will be a proportion of users that may revert back to smoking tobacco or quit vaping and smoking altogether.”
Defra says the number of people using vapes in England grew by more than 400 per cent from 2012 to 2023, with 9.1 per cent of adults now using the products - a large proportion having switched from smoking.
The legislation on vapes was drafted by former prime minister Rishi Sunak, but had to be shelved when his government ran out of time before the general election.
His controversial Tobacco and Vapes Bill aims to prevent anyone born from 2009 from ever being able to legally smoke, by gradually increasing the age at which cigarettes can be bought. It also includes restrictions on the sale, marketing and packaging of vapes.
The bill was revived by the Labour government and health secretary Wes Streeting said this month that he plans to introduce the bill “before Christmas”.
Tax on vapes will hurt “working people”
Meanwhile, Labour MP Mary Glindon has criticised a new tax on vapes announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in her Budget last week, warning that it could discourage people from quitting smoking.
Glindon, MP for Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend, said the increase - to start from October 1, 2026 - was “unsustainably high” and would “hurt working people” most.
She said the cost of vaping liquid is expected to rise by a massive 267 per cent, as a result of the tax - making it one of the highest vape taxes in Europe.
During the Budget debate in the Commons, Ms Glindon said: “As chair for the APPG (All-Party Parliamentary Group) on responsible vaping, I have concerns about the announced tax on vaping liquid from 2026.
“There are still six million smokers who are yet to make the switch to vaping, to now put a tax on vaping will only serve to discourage these smokers to quit.
“The vaping tax proposed by the Chancellor is unsustainably high, at 22p per millilitre of vape liquid this will make the UK’s tax one of the highest in Europe.
This tax will also hurt working people throughout the North East who rely on vaping to keep them off cigarettes.”
Ms Glindon added that taxing e-liquids will not tackle the source of youth vaping.
“Currently, many stores will sell vaping liquid for refillable devices for 99p, under the Chancellor’s proposals this will increase by 267 per cent to £3.64,” she said. “Access to vaping liquids is not what is driving youth vaping, the Government is already looking to address this through the Tobacco and Vapes Bill.”
She said many people’s decision to “switch from smoking to the less-harmful alternative” has saved the NHS “tens of thousands of pounds per person.”
