MPs vote overwhelmingly to ban disposable vapes

MPs have voted in favour of banning disposable vapes as part of a landmark piece of legislation aimed at clamping down on youth vaping.

The bill, described by health secretary Wes Streeting as an ‘urgent intervention’ to help children ‘avoid a life imprisoned by addiction’ passed its second reading today by a margin of 415 ayes to 47 noes after gaining significant cross-party support.

Among the measures introduced by the bill include restrictions on vape packaging, a ban on the sale of vape flavours which ‘overtly appeal’ to children, such as cotton candy, and extending the indoor smoking ban to outdoor spaces.

The measure was first introduced by Rishi Sunak’s Tory government in January 2024, and was picked up by Labour after they assumed office in July.

New Conservative party leader Kemi Badenoch was among the 47 no votes, joined by former home secretary Suella Braverman and 33 other Tories.

Seven Liberal Democrats and all four Reform UK MPs also voted against the bill at its second reading.

Opening the Tobacco and Vapes Bill’s second reading, Mr Streeting told the Commons: ‘The bill before the House today will raise the legal age of sale of tobacco by one year every year, creating the first smoke-free generation and eventually a smoke-free nation.

‘The bill will enable the government to extend the current indoor smoking ban to certain outdoor settings, and we will consult on banning smoking outside schools, hospitals and in playgrounds, protecting children and vulnerable people from the harms of second-hand smoke.

‘And this bill will come down on the vaping industry like a ton of bricks to prevent a new generation of children and young people from getting hooked on nicotine.’

Intervening, Conservative MP Andrew Rosindell (Romford) argued that ‘banning things very rarely works’, adding: ‘Surely we should be promoting the concept of freedom with responsibility and allowing people to make choices about their own lives?’

Mr Streeting said tobacco is ‘uniquely addictive, uniquely harmful’, adding: ‘There is no liberty in addiction. There is no freedom in addiction, and the logical extension of the libertarian argument he puts forward would be the end of the ban on indoor smoking.’

Disposable vapes are considered extremely bad for the environment, being difficult to recycle and full of harmful waste such as lithium, battery acid and mercury.

The Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (Defra) estimates almost five million single-use vapes were either littered or thrown away every week last year.

Vape use in the UK is estimated to have grown by 400% between 2012 and 2023, and around 9.1% of the population is now believed to buy and use them.

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