Date confirmed for disposable vape ban in Wales

  • Wales
The ban comes as adult vaping in Wales has reached an all-time high of 11%. Credit: PA

Single-use vapes are set to be banned from 1 June, 2025 in Wales.

It comes as the Welsh Government announced its plans to tackle "litter and plastic pollution" and "protect" communities.

The new regulations would prohibit the supply of single-use vapes in a "crucial step" towards waste reduction.

In a statement, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs Huw Irranca-Davies MS said: “The Welsh Government has worked closely with UK Government and other Devolved Governments on this matter and anticipate aligning our coming into force dates.

"This will enable the bans to be implemented in a co-ordinated manner to ensure high levels of compliance and consistent approach to enforcement across the UK.

"Action to tackle the environmental and social impacts of single-use vapes is a key priority for the Welsh Government and we continue to work with the other UK nations to address these challenges.”

The Welsh Government had initially intended for the ban to come into effect as of 1 April 2025, giving businesses "necessary time to prepare."

The updated enforcement date of 1 June, 2025 is expected to align with other UK nations to ensure a smoother rollout of the ban.

The ban aims to "reduce the amount of waste we generate, protecting our communities, wildlife and ecosystems for future generations." Credit: ITV Channel

Adult vaping in Wales has reached an all-time high of 11% according to public health charity Action on Smoking and Health Wales (Ash Wales). This is compared to 8% in the 2023 survey.

They also revealed 80% of adults in Wales want to see a ban on the importation and sale of disposable vapes.

Earlier in the year, the Welsh Government explained: "Over 360 million such vapes are bought each year in the UK, with valuable and critical materials such as lithium and copper regularly being binned that could instead be powering nearly 5,000 electric vehicles."

However, the reasons behind the ban are not only environmental.

The number of children and young people who vape has also surged with experts calling for action.

Commenting on the Welsh Government's announcement, Children's Commissioner for Wales Rocio Cifuentes MBE said: "'Children are coming to secondary school from primary schools addicted to vaping'- one of many highly concerning things I’ve heard over the past year in conversations with children and adults about vaping."

She added: "I’m pleased today to see confirmation that single-use vapes will be banned in Wales, starting in June 2025. The Welsh Government must continue to use all its available levers to implement other important changes recommended by Public Health Wales earlier this year. This includes providing support for young people who are nicotine-dependent due to vapes, restricting flavours and flavour names, and enforcing plain packaging rules."

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