Jersey politicians unanimously vote in favour of banning disposable vapes

Jersey politicians have unanimously voted to ban disposable vapes in the island.

The States Assembly unanimously agreed to amend an existing law on Wednesday 11 December, with 45 votes for and 0 against.

It brings the island in line with the UK, which will enact new legislation to ban the sale of single-use vapes from 1 June 2025.

Selling, importing and supplying disposable vapes also became a criminal offence in Guernsey in April 2024.

The amendment to the Single-Use Plastics etc. (Restrictions) (Jersey) Law - originally enacted in 2022 - adds single-use vapes to the list of restricted items.

It hopes to reduce the number of young people vaping, with a recent study by Public Health Jersey revealing that more than 95% of local children who vape opt for single-use devices.

The proposition, put forward by Infrastructure Minister Constable Andy Jehan and Environment Minister Deputy Steve Luce, states that banning the devices will bring environmental benefits and reduce waste.

Constable Jehan told ITV News: "I think we've got far too many of these products which are just disposed of in the street, in hedges.

"Also, when we collect them, it gives us a problem in terms of the lithium batteries not being disposed of correctly so they could cause a fire.

"And we're trying to align ourselves to other jurisdictions nearby rather than us having an influx of these products coming to Jersey.

"It's an addition rather than a new law and we want to do this as quickly as we can."

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know...