Powers to ban the sale and supply in UK
Single-use vapes will no longer be stocked or sold in Scotland under new legislation which comes into force today (Sunday 1 June).
The UK-wide ban has been introduced to prevent the environmental damage disposable vapes cause and to address health concerns associated with vaping as Scotland moves towards a tobacco-free generation by 2034.
An estimated 26 million disposable vapes were thrown away in Scotland in 2023. Of these, more than half were not recycled properly and around 10% were littered. The batteries used within disposable vapes are difficult to recycle, leak harmful waste and can cause fires in waste facilities.
Acting Net Zero Secretary Gillian Martin said: “Scotland was the first nation in the UK to commit to taking action on single use vapes.
“It’s estimated that over half of disposable vapes are incorrectly disposed of each year in Scotland – creating a fire risk and littering our beautiful environment. They also contain nicotine which is highly addictive.
“This change to the law fulfils a Programme for Government commitment and will help tackle the threat that single-use vapes pose to our environment as well as to our public health.
“We have worked closely across the four nations to ensure a consistent approach to a ban on the sale and supply of single-use vapes and will continue to work with regulators regarding enforcement once in force.”
Moves to raise the age of sale of tobacco products and regulate the displays, flavours and packaging of reusable vapes, are being taken forward separately through the 4-nations Tobacco and Vapes Bill.
A ban on single-use vapes was recommended in the four nation consultation ‘Creating a Smokefree Generation and Tackling Youth Vaping’ which ran in 2023.
Single-use vapes will be also be banned from the shelves of all shops in England from today ‘thanks to a Westminster government blitz on sale and supply‘.
The new crackdown makes it illegal to sell single-use vapes at corner shops and supermarkets, putting an end to their alarming rise in school playgrounds and the avalanche of rubbish flooding the nation’s streets.
The Westminster government’s announcement of its intention to ban the use of disposable vapes has already had real effects – with retailers and consumers shifting away from environmentally destructive single-use options.
New data from charity Action on Smoking and Health shows the number of vapers in Great Britain who mainly use single-use devices fell from 30% in 2024 to 24% in 2025, while the use of disposables by 18-24-year-old vapers fell from 52% in 2024 to 40% in 2025. However, usage among young vapers remains too high and with the coming ban into force tomorrow it will continue to drive these figures down further.
As part of tough enforcement measures, any rogue traders breaking the rules will be hit with a fine of £200 in the first instance, and all products will be seized. Those who show a blatant disregard for the rules and reoffend face being slapped with an unlimited fine or jail time.
Circular Economy Minister Mary Creagh said: “For too long, single-use vapes have blighted our streets as litter and hooked our children on nicotine. That ends today.
“The Government calls time on these nasty devices.”
Caroline Cerny, Deputy Chief Executive, Action on Smoking and Health said: “It’s promising to see that many people switched away from disposable vapes to re-usable products well ahead of the ban. This is particularly marked among young people, who were more likely to use disposable products due to their attractiveness, affordability, and heavy marketing.
“This new law is a step towards reducing vaping among children, while ensuring products are available to support people to quit smoking. It will be up to manufacturers and retailers to ensure customers are informed and able to reuse and recycle their products securing a real change in consumer behaviour and a reduction in environmental waste.
“If behaviour does not change then further regulations will be possible following the passage of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill.”
The Government has worked closely with retailers to ensure they are ready for the ban coming into force. This includes producing clear guidance on the devices they cannot sell or supply, as well as how to deplete their stock before 1 June.
Association of Convenience Stores Chief Executive James Lowman said: “Convenience retailers have been preparing for the disposables ban for several months, adapting their ranges and training colleagues on the products that they can sell.
“We have been working with Trading Standards officers across the country to ensure they know what to look for once the ban comes into force, and support robust enforcement activity to take illegal vapes off the streets.”
Libby Peake, senior fellow and head of resources at Green Alliance, said: “Single use vapes should never have been allowed on the market. They’ve been a blight on our countryside, wasted resources needed for important uses like EV batteries and caused scores of fires at waste sites. And they’ve done all this while having a lasting impact on the health of young people, creating a new generation of nicotine addicts.
“The government should rightly be proud of taking this vital step to get rid of these polluting products and encourage people who want to quit smoking to opt for reusable and refillable options instead.”
Justin Greenaway, Commercial Manager at SWEEEP Kuusakoski, said: “We hope this ban will succeed in reducing the amount of vapes being discarded. Every vape has potential to start a fire if incorrectly disposed of.
“Logically vape unit waste will reduce as single use stops and multi-use must start but it does rely on consumers changing from a disposable mindset to refilling.”
Unrefillable and unable to be recharged, single-use vapes have been typically thrown away with general waste in black bins or littered rather than recycled, contributing to the flood of litter blighting the country.
Even when they are recycled, the process is notoriously arduous, slow and costly, with waste industry workers required to take them apart by hand. Their batteries also present a fire risk to recycling facilities and can leak harmful chemicals into the environment.
With the looming ban already encouraging users to seek alternatives, making the sale of single-use vapes illegal will now prevent these toxic products from littering the country’s streets.
The ban complements the Government’s world-leading Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which will further tackle youth vaping and safeguard children’s health.
