According to the Daily Record on July 24th, a Scottish e-cigarette retailer has warned that a new type of "big puff count" disposable e-cigarette is designed to circumvent the upcoming disposable e-cigarette ban.
Chain store VPZ based in Edinburgh has stated that these "regulation-evading" e-cigarette devices have flooded the UK market ahead of the ban set for next spring.
The retailer stated that the "puff counts" of the e-cigarettes carry six times more e-cigarette liquid than standard disposable e-cigarettes, taking advantage of the new regulations by increasing the rechargeable and refillable features on the surface.
Doug Mutter, a director at VPZ, supports the ban on disposable e-cigarettes. He warns that the emergence of these new disposable e-cigarettes could "set back all the progress we have made so far.
We condemn these 'big-mouth' e-cigarettes, as we firmly believe they undermine our goals and are poised to create a public health crisis with the influx of unregulated products into the market.
Before the ban in April next year, various versions of the "big hit" disposable e-cigarettes have already made their way into the UK market.
Although the batteries in these devices can typically be charged via a USB port, larger-sized e-cigarettes with non-replaceable coils are essentially disposable, similar to traditional disposable e-cigarettes.
Green Party member Gillian Mackay is an early advocate of the "ban disposable e-cigarettes" campaign. She has vowed to do everything in her power to ensure that Scotland's ban is enforced rigorously and without any loopholes.
However, Mutt warned that the rise of "big cloud" e-cigarettes could potentially undermine efforts to clean up e-cigarette waste and control underage e-cigarette use.
He explained that this new type of disposable e-cigarette typically includes an additional 10ml e-cigarette liquid container, in addition to the standard 2ml e-cigarette built-in. This is an attempt to design a device that technically complies with regulations for "refillable" and "rechargeable" products.
Mott stated at a recent e-cigarette exhibition in the UK that up to 95% of exhibiting companies were using some form of "big puff count" disposable devices.
Data suggests that now more than ever, the British government needs to intervene to support trading standards and local authorities to tackle the scale of the 'bulk-buying' trend.
At VPZ, we have taken action to try to curb the environmental issues caused by disposable e-cigarettes and launched our innovative e-cigarette recycling service in all stores last year. We believe that this innovative service and intervention are crucial for addressing emerging environmental issues and educating e-cigarette users about the long-term financial benefits of using reusable products.
We urge better cooperation between industry and regulatory agencies to quickly address this issue, ensuring that these e-cigarettes do not flood the UK market and jeopardize the progress made in smoking cessation so far.
VPZ fully supports the UK government's ban on disposable e-cigarettes by 2025, but calls for stronger enforcement of existing regulations and revisions to current standards to properly address issues within the industry.
Despite the ban being implemented nationwide in the UK, Scotland has released separate draft legislation specifying that disposable e-cigarettes are defined as any e-cigarette that is "not refillable," "not rechargeable," or both.
It continues to define the standards of both, stating that "non-refillable" refers to an e-cigarette that does not include a "separate and replaceable disposable container," as well as containers that users can refill. It says that "non-rechargeable" refers to devices designed with "non-rechargeable batteries" or coils that cannot be purchased separately and replaced.
Mackay stated that she is committed to ensuring that there are no loopholes in Scotland's ban.
she told the media,
Shocking but not surprising, e-cigarette companies have already been attempting to find ways to circumvent the ban before it takes effect. They are openly trying to repackage disposable e-cigarettes in order to continue selling to young people.
I am determined to ensure that Scotland implements a loophole-free ban, completely removing all disposable e-cigarettes.
Sheila Duffy of the health charity organization ASH Scotland stated that
It is important that regulations have the ability to respond to the emergence of new products. The Scottish government must be vigilant against any attempts to undermine the goals of protecting public health and the environment, and take action to address any potential loopholes that may be exploited.
A government spokesperson stated that
Due to the proposed legislation currently being discussed in the Scottish Parliament, e-cigarettes with non-replaceable coils, commonly known as 'big mouth count' e-cigarettes, will be considered disposable and will be banned from use starting April 1, 2025.
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