'Single-use vapes should have been banned a long time ago to protect children'

Tony Lloyd MP

Rochdale MP Tony Lloyd has said the Government should have acted years ago to stop children becoming addicted to vaping.

It comes after reports this week that ministers are considering banning single-use vapes because they are being specifically targeted at children.

Rochdale Council issued a warning about children using vapes in July this year, after it shared that it has seized tens of thousands of illegal vapes from businesses and individuals who are selling potentially hazardous products to children.

Mr Lloyd told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "It's never too late to ban single use vapes because there are more young people coming through and using them. But it is late because we know the vape manufacturers have targeted young people.

"It should have been done a long time ago, vapes are not a new thing. I'm from a generation where people started smoking young and I would want those lessons to be learned so children do not start smoking at all."

Mr Lloyd added that there are numerous environmental concerns with single-use vapes, which are made from plastic and use lithium batteries.
 

Read more: Greater Manchester backs ban on disposable vapes and calls for deposit return scheme to be introducedPublished: 02 August 2023

Around 18 percent of adults in Rochdale are smokers according to Rochdale Council data, which is higher than the average in England of 14.9 percent.

Last week, it was revealed that smoking and vaping outside schools and in park playgrounds are due to be banned in Salford because of nicotine addiction rates.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “We are concerned about the rise in youth vaping and the environmental impacts of disposable vapes.

“That is why we launched a call for evidence to identify opportunities to reduce the number of children accessing and using vaping products – and explore where the government can go further.

“We will set out our response in due course.”

Declan Carey, Local Democracy Reporter