A new U.K. tax intended to make vaping less appealing to children and young people is now in force, though shoppers may not notice the price increase right away.
Because older stock remains on shelves and can be sold at pre-duty rates for six months, some vapers told the BBC they plan to buy those items in bulk.
"I'll probably just stock up," said Mackenzie Bird, a 19-year-old who vapes regularly.
Here's what to know
The new Vaping Product Duty is charged at £2.20 per 0.34 fluid ounces ($3 per 10 milliliters) of e-liquid. The levy covers vaping products whether or not they contain nicotine, and retailers have six months to sell pre-duty stock before the full effect reaches customers.
Officials have framed the measure as part of a wider effort to make vaping less attractive as concerns about health effects keep mounting, per the BBC. Tobacco also became more expensive, with rates rising by £2.20 per 100 cigarettes or 1.8 ounces (50 grams) of tobacco.
According to the UK's tax authority, the increase is intended to keep vaping cheaper than smoking.
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That way, smokers still have a financial reason to switch.
"Our public health advice is clear: while vaping is less harmful than smoking and can help adult smokers to quit, children and non-smokers should never vape," Minister of State for Health Karin Smyth said in an official statement.
More background
The argument around the new tax reflects two competing public-health goals. The government says higher prices could discourage younger people from vaping, while the vaping industry has opposed the duty on the grounds that cheaper vapes can help adults quit smoking.
"This is nothing short of a tax on public health," argued John Dunne, the director general of the U.K. Vaping Industry Association, according to the BBC.
That divide also showed up in the BBC's interviews with people in Reading.
Cara Lewis-Rimes said rising costs could lead her and others to cut back, especially with cost-of-living pressures already affecting many households. Dylan Killner said that he could end up quitting entirely. Meanwhile, Bird said the tax was "fine" and wouldn't impact her habits.
What's being done?
The duty is only one part of the U.K.'s latest crackdown on vaping. The BBC reported that a stamp for vaping products is being rolled out so they can be tracked through the supply chain.
Starting in April, all vapes sold in the U.K. will need to carry the stamp. Officials also say the tax partly aims to address illicit trade, which has become a problem on high streets, and councils will now have the power to approve or reject new vape shops.
Where can I learn more?
Vape rules are tightening well beyond the U.K.
• In Malaysia, officials proposed taxing vape products like cigarettes, sharply raising costs for users.
• A Canadian province has taken action against misleading vape advertising.
• Singapore authorities began seizing hundreds of vaping items just days into a tougher crackdown.
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