33 COUNTRIES HAVE BANNED E-CIGARETTES AND VAPES

The United Kingdom recently publicized intentions to prohibit the sale of disposable vapes, joining dozens of nations that have implemented bans or constraints on e-cigarettes to protect youth.

E-cigarettes entered the US market in 2007 and have since evolved into a substantive public health issue, especially regarding adolescents. Monthly sales of these devices surged from 15.5 million units in 2020 to 22.7 million in 2022, reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Moreover, e-cigarettes now represent the most widely consumed tobacco product amongst American youth.

Proponents argue e-cigarettes can assist smokers in quitting traditional cigarettes. However, critics counter that the youthful packaging and fruit-flavored varieties specifically target underage users. These factors risk addicting adolescents to nicotine while exposing them to other dangerous chemicals.

A 2023 CDC study discovered approximately 2 million middle and high school students currently use e-cigarettes, representing 7.7% of this population. Over 60% of youth users favored disposable vape brands such as Elf Bar and Esco Bar. In the UK, around 9% of 11-15-year-olds are reported to vape.

In America, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates e-cigarettes, greenlighting products on a case-by-case basis contingent on the risk of youth uptake. So far, the FDA has approved just 23 e-cigarette products, rendering the thousands of unauthorized items on store shelves technically illegal. Still, enforcement has proven challenging.

https://ecigator.com/news/countries-banning-e-cigarette-sales/