Tobacco Reporter published an article stating that research by the UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA) confirmed that the ban on vaping in the UK is backfiring, as 26% of former vapers have returned to smoking tobacco.
"Urgent action must be taken to reverse this trend," said UKVI director general John Dunne.
The article explained that a survey of 6,000 vapers and smokers discovered that 51% of adults believe that vaping is as harmful as smoking, which is not the case. Though vaping is not risk-free, it is generally considered to be less of a health risk than smoking.
It is also important to consider the environmental impact.
A study revealed that approximately five million disposable vapes are discarded weekly, which is contributing to the growing e-waste problem. Many devices end up in landfills, where their lithium-ion batteries are a fire hazard. A great number of disposable vape cartridges are also improperly discarded, ending up as litter, posing a risk to people and wildlife.
Most vapes are not recycled properly at electronic recycling facilities, where the lithium-ion batteries can be properly handled and the valuable materials like lithium and copper can be recycled and reused.
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Since banning vaping in the UK has led to an increase in smoking tobacco, it may seem that the environmental impact is reduced. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Cigarette butts also pose a threat to the environment.
Cigarette butts are the most common type of litter worldwide. They don't biodegrade, so they stay in the environment for a very long time and can leach toxic substances like arsenic and lead into the ground and water, threatening ecosystems.
Cigarette butts are also harmful to wildlife that mistake them for food and ingest them, causing health issues or death. Just like with humans, the chemicals can be harmful to the animals.
The ultimate solution for the UK is still up for debate, but Dunne is worried about the blanket ban on vaping, thinking that it might be undermining the UK's efforts to go smoke-free.
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"It never made any sense to us to ban this entire category, and now we have concrete evidence that more than a quarter of vapers have either resumed smoking, increased tobacco use, or purchased illicit products since the ban." Dunne said. "Any one of these outcomes would be bad enough, but all three combined should be deeply worrying."
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