Scottish government to ban single-use vapes

The Scottish government has released legislation to propose a ban on the sale and supply of single-use vapes.

The ban is due to come into effect on 1 April 2025.

This legislation is a continuation of the consultation on 'Creating a Smoke Free Generation and Tackling Youth Vaping' which ran across Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland last year.

While separate legislation on banning the sale and supply of single use vapes will need to be introduced by each nation, the governments have worked together to agree on a date for when the ban will come into force, to provide certainty for businesses and consumers.

Lorna Slater, circular economy minister, said that the legislation aims to reduce vaping among non-smokers as well as taking action to tackle their environmental impact.

Zero Waste Scotland estimates that up to 26 million disposable vapes were consumed and thrown away in Scotland in the last year, with 10 per cent being littered and more than half disposed of incorrectly.

Slater added: “From causing fires in waste facilities to more than 26 million disposable vapes being consumed and thrown away in Scotland in the past year, single-use vapes are a threat to our environment as well as to our public health."

The ban on single-use vapes is being taken forward using powers under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. This approach has been used in the past to ban other items such as micro-beads, cotton buds and single use plastics.