Fruit and sweet-flavoured disposable vapes are set to be banned, as ministers launch review into addictive nicotine electronics targeted towards children

• Sweet-flavoured vapes could be banned by ministers after review, report claims
• Health minister Neil O’Brien to look into restricting access for under-18-year-olds

Disposable vapes flavoured like sweets and fruits which are targeted towards teenagers could be banned, a report has said.

The highly-addictive and brightly coloured nicotine-filled vapes such as Elf Bars are set to be targeted in a clampdown in an announcement by ministers.

Neil O’Brien, Minister for Public Health will reportedly begin to ask for evidence in the next few days before under-18s are restricted on how they can get access to nicotine vapes.

This comes Michael Gove vowed to ban nitrous oxide as part of the government’s new crime drive. The Levelling Up Secretary confirmed earlier this week that ‘Hippy Crack’ will become illegal, pointing to the impact on local areas and littering.

Popular vape flavours are similar to what you would see on the sweet shelf at your local corner shop: Strawberry ice cream, cotton candy, cherry cola, grape, blueberry sour raspberry, just to name a few Elf Bar flavours currently available.

Disposable vapes flavoured like sweets and fruits which are targeted towards teenagers could be banned, a report has said (file photo)

Neil O’Brien (pictured), Minister for Public Health will reportedly begin to ask for evidence in the next few days before under-18s are restricted on how they can get access to nicotine vapes

Health bosses are still in ‘extremely’ in favour of using vapes to help adult smokers quit smoking cigarettes, but concerns are growing over how fruit-flavoured vapes are being targeted at children.

But following the review these sweet-sounding flavours may be removed from the shelves, the Sun reports.

The government will look into the ‘appearance and characteristics’ of vaping products currently on sale, including examining the marketing and branding, as well as the flavours available and item colours.

The review will also examine how products are advertised over social media, amidst concerns the highly-addictive products are being deliberately targeted at young people.

In a speech early next month, Mr O’Brien will talk about the Government’s concerns over vapes and launch the consultation which asks experts how to best to protect children from highly addictive nicotine.

It will also include a formal reply to an independent review by Dr Javed Khan OBE which looked into the government’s goal to make England and Wales smoke-free by 2030.

The report which was released in March last year considered the arguments for banning smoking for under-25s.

The highly-addictive and brightly coloured nicotine-filled vapes such as Elf Bars are set to be targeted in a clampdown in an announcement by ministers (file photo)

Dr Khan, also suggested that individual cigarettes should come with anti-smoking warnings and that they should be printed in less appealing colours, instead of white, such as green or brown.

Government statistics show that 8.6 per cent of 11 to 18 year olds in England vape regularly or occasionally, up from four per cent in 2021 and 4.8 per cent in 2020.

The data also shows that use of disposable vaping products ‘increased substantially’, with 52.8 per cent of young vapers using them in 2022, compared to 7.8 per cent in 2021 and 5.3 per cent in 2020.

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