The 2025 Disposable Vapes Ban: What You Need to Know

The upcoming ban on disposable vapes will prohibit the sale and supply of single-use vapes in England, Scotland, and Wales. Taking effect on 1 June 2025, this ban aims to remove disposable vapes from Britain’s streets. But what impact will it have and what does this mean for retailers, health professionals, and people who vape?

The disposable vapes ban is NOT a ban on all vapes. Reusable products will still be sold and available for smoking cessation purposes

From 1 June 2025, it will be illegal to sell, supply or possess for sale or supply any single-use (disposable) vapes, including non-nicotine versions. This will apply to all retailers – including high street and online – as well as healthcare and stop smoking services. From this date, any vapes legally on sale in Britain must be rechargeable, refillable, and have a coil that can be easily replaced. Any vape which does not meet these standards – for example a vape that is rechargeable but not refillable – will be illegal.

The Government have provided two reasons behind the rationale for the ban, however, it is being enacted under environmental legislation and this should be seen as it’s primary purpose:

1. To protect the environment. Nearly five million disposable vapes were littered or discarded every week in 2024, according to Material Focus. As well as being an eyesore and expensive to clean up, littered vapes introduce harmful chemicals into the soil, rivers and streams. Many of these vapes end up in landfill or the incinerator, where valuable materials are wasted instead of being recycled.
2. To reduce youth vaping. The introduction of a new generation of disposable vapes in 2021 coincided with a significant increase in youth vaping. These new disposables were cheap, attractive, easy to use and widely promoted. Although the increase in youth vaping has levelled off, disposables continue to be the most popular product among young people who vape.

The ban should help to reduce the number of vapes thrown away and littered, although this is also contingent on changes in consumer behaviour and effective enforcement of the requirement for retailers to provide takeback and recycling services for vaping products.

While the ban is a step in the right direction, on its own it will not be enough to address the popularity of vapes among teenagers. Further regulation is needed to reduce the appeal, affordability and availability of vapes to young people. The Tobacco and Vapes Bill will give the Government the powers it needs to regulate vape packaging, branding, display and flavour descriptors, alongside banning vape advertising. These powers should be implemented as soon as possible once the Bill becomes law.

Vapes play an important role in supporting adult smokers to quit and are offered by most stop smoking services in England. This includes disposable vapes which are widely used in secure mental health settings to support patients to abstain from smoking during their hospital admission. The ban covers both the sale and supply of disposable vapes, meaning that services have until 1 June to distribute any remaining stock. After this point, it will be illegal to sell or supply disposable vapes to service users. There are no exemptions to the ban for any settings or purposes.

Actions for healthcare/stop smoking services:

• Ensure all remaining stock, including in vending machines, is sold or distributed before 1 June 2025.
• Dispose of any leftover stock safely. Vape retailers should offer a take-back service where they accept the return of vapes for recycling.
• Service users can continue using disposable vapes they have legally purchased or been given before the ban. This will likely only occur for a short period as people work their way through vapes obtained before the ban.

DEFRA has produced guidance on the ban, which includes information for healthcare settings.

From 1 June, any vapes legally on sale in Great Britain must be reusable, meaning that they can be recharged and refilled. Adults who vape will still have access to a wide range of vaping products, including reusable versions of popular disposables vapes.

Regardless of whether they are reusable or disposable, vapes should be properly recycled to ensure critical materials are not wasted and to protect the environment. According to Recycle Your Electricals, almost 80% of materials in vapes can be recycled, and if every vape were properly recycled, we would have enough lithium to power 10,000 e-cars.

All vape retailers should offer a ‘take back’ service for used vapes, pods, coils, and batteries. You can find your nearest vape recycling point here.

Retailers must stop selling or supplying disposable vapes by 1 June 2025. This means any stock must be sold or safely disposed of before this deadline. Those retailers who continue to sell disposable vapes after the deadline will be breaking the law and could face civil sanctions, as well as criminal penalties.

If you want to read more about the ban, go to DEFRA’s guidance on the single-use vapes, where you will find a full breakdown of the dos and don'ts.