Ahead of the UK ban on disposable vejps, which comes into force on 1 June, many users have already started to change their habits to refillable systems. A new study from University College London shows that the proportion of young adults (16-24 years old) who predominantly use disposable models has fallen sharply - from 63% to 35% in just one year.
Recently, Vejpkollen wrote that many UK vejpers might consider turning to the black market instead when the ban on single-use vejp comes into force. But it's not quite that simple. A new study from University Collage London shows that many people have already made the switch to pod systems and machines that generally don't go straight into the bin after use. The news has been reported even outside the usual vejp sphere, in major traditional media like the BBC.
Adapting their behaviour
The researchers behind the study argue that this is not a departure from vejpand itself, but rather a clear shift towards reusable models.
"We are seeing more people switching to refillable and rechargeable devices," Dr Sarah Jackson from UCL's Tobacco and Alcohol Research Group told the BBC. "People are often adapting their behaviour even before new rules come into force," she continues.
Road use has stabilised
Disposable vejps have recently become very popular in the UK, especially among young people. But their environmental impact has also been significant - they are not easily recyclable, contain lithium batteries, and often end up in household rubbish or the environment. This is also a big reason why the UK ban is being introduced.
Big drop for disposables
The study is based on data from the Smoking Toolkit Study, a major research project tracking tobacco and nicotine use in the UK. It shows that vejp use broadly stabilised between January 2024 and January 2025, but that use of disposable models fell significantly across all age groups. Among young adults, disposable vejp use fell by as much as 44% in one year.
Hard work of serious vejp shops
One possible piece of the decline puzzle not mentioned in the study is the work of the specialised vejp shops. When Vejpkollen visited some vejp shops in London this winter, many testified that they are working hard to move customers away from disposables and on to systems. Trendy 'Soho Vapes' owner Thyu Nguyen said that the whole serious vejp industry in the UK was in favour of the ban, and that it would only affect so-called 'corner shops' - which peddle disposable vejps on a regular basis without paying much attention to age checks.
New similar models replace
According to the new study, manufacturers have also been quick to respond to the change. Many of the most popular disposable models have already started to be sold in reusable versions - with the same flavours, colours and shapes as before.
"They look almost identical, and cost about the same," Ms Jackson told the BBC.
The study, published in the scientific journal Addiction, suggests that as many as 27.6 per cent of young adult 1TP8 users may have switched to reusable alternatives by June 2025, if the trend continues at the same rate.
To be an aid for smokers
The BBC goes on to say that young people's vejp use has rapidly become a public health problem according to the NHS, (National Health Service, the UK's public health system). The NHS has reported a large increase in the number of children and young people presenting with vejp-related health problems since 2020. According to NHS England, one in ten children have used vape regularly - and disposable models are particularly prevalent among young people.
Environmental benefits - but future impacts remain to be seen
The ban is thus intended to both reduce litter in the environment and protect children and young people from nicotine addiction. Environmentally, the shift from disposable to reusable products is expected to make a difference, but researchers are more cautious in their assessments of the impact on overall vejp levels.
"It is important that these measures do not discourage adult smokers from using e-cigarettes to help them quit, but we also need to address the fact that so many young people are being lured into nicotine use by disposable vapes," says Ms Jackson.
The ban applies throughout the country
Both Scotland and Wales have announced that they will follow the UK decision, which means that single-use weapons will be banned throughout the UK from 1 June 2025
