UK Activists Call for Ban on Disposable E-cigarettes

According to a report published by the Daily Mail on September 4th, following France's plan to ban disposable e-cigarettes by the end of 2023, activists in the UK are urging their own country to follow suit in tackling the issue of disposable e-cigarettes.

Over 150,000 individuals have now signed a Greenpeace petition demanding a ban on disposable e-cigarettes, following a previous call from local councils in the UK to prohibit "intrinsically unsustainable products" that are "harming our streets.

The Local Government Association (LGA) has previously urged the UK to take action to "protect our planet, ensure child safety, and save taxpayers' money," as it warns that e-cigarettes are "virtually impossible to recycle" and are being marketed to young people.

The French government is adamant about advancing its plan to ban disposable e-cigarettes, arguing that they encourage young people to take up smoking. This initiative follows strict new restrictions on e-cigarettes implemented in Australia and New Zealand and similar plans proposed by countries like Germany and Ireland.

French Prime Minister Elizabeth Borne announced plans to address the smoking issue in an interview with RTL radio on September 3rd. The government's new plan includes a ban on disposable e-cigarettes. The parliament has agreed that disposable e-cigarettes should be prohibited due to concerns that their bright colors can be enticing to children and their harmful effects on the environment. Borne argued that e-cigarettes have brought "bad habits" to young people and cited that smoking causes 75,000 deaths in France each year.

As France prepares to implement its new regulations, opposition to e-cigarettes is growing stronger, with the European Union proposing a plan to ban disposable e-cigarettes by the end of 2026.

Germany and Ireland have both outlined their plans to restrict e-cigarettes, with the German government currently considering a complete ban on disposable e-cigarettes. Additionally, Australia has taken measures to only provide e-cigarettes to individuals with a prescription.

New Zealand has also implemented restrictions, prohibiting e-cigarette stores from being located within a 300-meter radius of schools, and ensuring that all e-cigarettes must be equipped with removable batteries.

The Local Government Association (LGA) in the UK had previously called for similar measures in July, urging for the "prohibition of e-cigarettes on environmental and health grounds".

The institution representing local councils in the UK has stated that it is "almost impossible" to recycle disposable e-cigarettes and has issued a warning about the fire hazard posed by the flammable lithium batteries they contain to waste collection vehicles.

As concerns escalate over the growing popularity of e-cigarettes among 11-year-old children, it has come to light that e-cigarette stores are selling candy alongside their products. The Local Government Association (LGA) has revealed that a staggering 1.3 million disposable e-cigarettes are discarded on British streets every week.

Environmental advocacy group Greenpeace has also launched a petition calling for a ban on disposable e-cigarettes, stating that they "contribute to littering in our communities, release harmful chemicals into the environment, and pose a threat to local wildlife.