Local resident suggests extreme measures to combat disturbing trend in their community: 'The public has proven themselves irresponsible'

A Redditor openly pondered extreme measures after observing the "unreal" number of disposable vapes discarded in their community.

They started their self-categorized "Moaning Michael" rant on the r/Ireland subreddit by prefacing that they're "not usually one to call for banning things."

They explained how the scale and specifics of the vape litter problem caused their stance. The Redditor said vapes were "scattered all over the place," and "almost everyone I see smoking them looks to be underage."

"Littering fines as a whole need to be increased and enforced and while we're at it so do laws regarding selling nicotine products to minors," they concluded.

The community was receptive, and some wanted to go even further than the original poster.

"The vapes are marketed to children (hence the pastel colors and sweet flavors), those kids don't smoke them in front of their parents, and unattended children litter more," another Redditor theorized.

"We should ban the disposable ones because the public has proven themselves irresponsible," a user suggested.

A disposable vape ban would certainly have plenty of justification. They come with an assortment of human health risks like all tobacco products, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention described. They can serve as a gateway to getting younger adults or teens hooked on tobacco.

There are also major environmental concerns, as they contain components like lithium-ion batteries that are difficult to recycle, can leak out toxic chemicals, and present a fire hazard. Their production also spurs more resource-intensive mining of materials.

Lots of vapes also contain plastic that can become worrisome microplastics. Improperly disposed of vapes have proved a menace to animals and plant life, with observers capturing troubling encounters with fish and penguins. 

Should the government be allowed to control how restaurants run their business? Never 👎 Only in some cases 🧠 Only for chain restaurants 🍔 Yes in all cases 👍 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

The litter also poses a hazard for bike and car tires, which can be punctured by them.

With all those negatives, it's unsurprising that Redditors were seeking stiffer measures to stop disposable vape littering.

"Disposable vapes contain batteries, which are far worse for the environment," one user said. "Max fine is five grand, how about a 500 minimum fine for vapes?"

One user agreed the minimum fines for vape litter were "way too low," and proposed new enforcement like Singapore's "mosquito police."

"The power for environmental issues should be taken away from the courts and have fines issued by an appropriate body," they argued.

Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.