More than two million people who vape could go back to smoking because of the UK’s upcoming crackdown, new polling shows.
Disposable vapes will be banned from June 1, 2025, in an attempt to reduce the appeal of vaping to young people. Under separate proposed legislation, flavours will also be heavily restricted.
However, there are mounting fears the measures could backfire by leading to more ex-smokers relapsing and a boom in black market sales of unregulated vapes.
New polling by Opinium for vape brand Elfbar reveals a worrying 41 per cent of adult vapers (2.3 million people) would switch back to smoking cigarettes if disposable vapes and their preferred flavours were made illegal.
Popular flavours used to quit smoking to be banned
The UK Government has said it will ban flavours that it believes directly appeal to children and young people. This is reported to include flavours like cotton candy, cola and dessert, but also fruit, which is the most popular among smokers switching to vapes.
The Opinium survey found 37 per cent of vapers chose fruity flavours, followed by tobacco flavour on 23 per cent.
“The research highlights that flavours are not simply a matter of preference but play a central role in preventing smoking relapse, with access to a variety of flavours integral for adults transitioning to vaping and remaining smokefree,” Elfbar said in a statement.
Meanwhile, more than a third (38 per cent) of the 6,000 people surveyed said they would try to continue buying disposable vapes or banned flavours “from whichever channels are available”.
A need for balanced regulation
Critics have long warned that a ban would simply fuel the black market in illegal vapes. Countries like Australia and Brazil, which have strict vape bans in place, are struggling to get the illegal trade under control while seeing no drop in their vaping and smoking rates.
“The findings underscore the pressing need for balanced regulation that considers the crucial role of flavours in smoking cessation. With the potential for increased illicit activity and relapse into tobacco smoking, this calls for careful deliberation as the government considers restricting flavours,” Elfbar added.
The Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which had to be shelved by the previous Conservative government when a general election was called, was re-introduced to Parliament last month.
The Bill includes a world-first generational ban on smoking, making it illegal for anyone born in 2009 or after to ever buy cigarettes or tobacco.
The Government will also be given powers to extend the existing indoor smoking ban to some outdoor settings such as children’s playgrounds, and outside schools and hospitals.
But while the legislation comes down hard on smoking, it also targets vaping, which is proven to be the most popular aid in helping smokers to quit.
Vaping proven to help stop smokers relapsing
A new survey released this week found that vaping can help former smokers from relapsing to the far more dangerous habit, which kills eight million people globally per year.
The latest findings back up the Government Health Department’s own impact report, which warned that the proposed ban could turn more people to far more harmful smoking.
The report said: “A possible unintended consequence of the vaping policies is that it could encourage more young people to try smoking.
“For example, a study from the US found that restricting flavours of vapes led to an additional 15 cigarettes sold for every 0.7mL vape pod not sold.”
And last month, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) told ministers that the disposables ban alone could push nearly a third (29 per cent) of vapers back to smoking.
