Time: 2022-11-25
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British environmental groups have called for a ban on the sale of disposable e-cigarettes as their threat to the environment escalates rapidly.
In an open letter to Environment Secretary Theresa Coffey and Health Secretary Steve Barclay, 18 environmental and health groups, including the Green Alliance and the RSPCA, argue that disposable e-cigarettes are unnecessary Products, which contain single-use plastics, nicotine and batteries, all of which are littered are harmful to the environment and wildlife.
Earlier this year, research by Material Focus revealed that at least 1.3 million disposable e-cigarettes are discarded every week, equivalent to two e-cigarettes per second and enough to fill 22 football fields per year.
The letter also noted that young people's growing acceptance of single-use e-cigarettes is of particular concern, with the proportion of 11- to 17-year-olds choosing single-use products increasing sevenfold since 2021.
They said that since reusable e-cigarettes are available in the UK and there are brands like Juul, a ban on single-use e-cigarettes, such as the popular Elf Bar, would not prevent public health efforts to get people to quit smoking. effort made.
However, Christopher Snowden, head of lifestyle economics at the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), said disposable e-cigarettes did not pose a health risk but were important for helping smokers who want to quit.
"For smokers trying e-cigarettes for the first time, disposables are the most attractive option," he said, especially when they are simple, convenient and inexpensive.
Public Health England previously concluded that vaping is about 95% safer than smoking.
This was echoed by Cancer Research UK, which acknowledged that e-cigarettes are closer in harms to other nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products than tobacco.
New figures from Action on Smoking and Health have found that 2.4 million people who have vaped were former smokers, making up the vast majority of the 4.3 million Brits who are now actively vaping.