Disposable vapes are to be banned across the UK as the Government looks to tackle the rise in youth vaping and “protect children’s health”.
It’s long been a topic of conversation, and one that many activists have been calling for – as well as a group of Greater Manchester councillors back in August of last year too – but now, the Government is finally appearing to take action and address the rising problem of youth vaping head-on by announcing a nationwide ban on disposable e-cigarettes.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is set to formally announce the UK-wide ban today (29 January) during a visit to a school.
The ban on disposable vapes comes as part of the Government’s wider “ambitious plans”, and is said to be a response to its recent consultation on smoking and vaping – which was launched back in October last year.
🆕 We’re banning disposable vapes in the UK to protect children’s health.
This is part of new measures to clamp down on underage vaping and create a #SmokefreeGeneration by making it illegal to sell tobacco products to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009.
Details 🔻
— Department of Health and Social Care (@DHSCgovuk) January 29, 2024
According to the Government, recent figures show that the number of children using vapes in the past three years has tripled, and use among younger children is also rising, in particular – with 9% of 11 to 15-year-olds now using vapes.
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Disposable vapes have been “a key driver” behind the “alarming rise” in youth vaping, Government ministers say, as studies show that the proportion of 11 to 17-year-old vapers using disposables has increased almost ninefold in the last two years.
As part of the Government’s plans, new powers will be introduced to restrict e-cigarette flavours that are specifically-marketed at children, and ensure that manufacturers produce plainer and less-visually-appealing packaging, while also allowing the Government to change how vapes are displayed in shops by both moving them out of childrens’ sight, and away from other products that are made to appeal to them – such as sweets, fizzy drinks, and so on.
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Government announces ban on disposable vapes in UK to ‘protect children’s health’ / Credit: Sarah Johnson (via Pixabay) | Unsplash
To crack down on underage sales, the Government has also announced it will bring in new fines for shops in England and Wales that sell vapes illegally to children, and give trading standards officers the power to act ‘on the spot’ to tackle underage tobacco and vape sales.
Vaping alternatives such as nicotine pouches will also be outlawed for children under the new plans, as it’s thought youths are now “increasingly turning” to these “highly addictive substitutes” instead.
“As any parent or teacher knows, one of the most worrying trends at the moment is the rise in vaping among children,” commented Prime Minister Rishi Sunak as he announced the ban on disposable vapes in the UK today.
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“And so we must act before it becomes endemic.
“The long-term impacts of vaping are unknown and the nicotine within them can be highly addictive, so while vaping can be a useful tool to help smokers quit, marketing vapes to children is not acceptable.
Smoking is the single biggest preventable cause of death in England.
We are protecting our children by creating a smokefree generation – and acting to tackle the alarming rise in youth vaping.https://t.co/OwvuZdFbrY
“As Prime Minister, I have an obligation to do what I think is the right thing for our country in the long term, and that is why I am taking bold action to ban disposable vapes, and bring forward new powers to restrict vape flavours, introduce plain packaging, and change how vapes are displayed in shops. “
Mr Sunak says these he wants these new changes to “leave a lasting legacy” by protecting children’s health “for the long term”.
As well as all these new plans announced today in an attempt to tackle the rise in youth vaping, the Government has also, once again, reiterated its commitment to bring about the first ‘smokefree generation’ in the UK, and has said it is keen to eventually introduce legislation that means children turning fifteen this year, or younger, can never legally be sold tobacco.
The eight new proposed measures to create a ‘smokefree generation’ were announced the Prime Minister at the Conservative Party Conference last October.
Featured Image – ELFBAR
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Rio Ferdinand is stepping away from TNT Sports after more than a decade
Danny Jones
Manchester United legend and ex-England international Rio Ferdinand has announced he will be stepping away from TNT Sports, leaving more than a decade with the broadcaster.
Ferdinand has spent the best part of the last 10 years serving as a leading pundit and analyst, as well as hosting his own ‘Rio Meets’ online series – the interview format of which has been replicated on his YouTube channel.
However, after having been one of their main anchors both under the BT Sport and even more so since the inception of the rebranded TNT Sports Football umbrella, the 46-year-old has confirmed he has now quit their regular coverage following the Champions League final this weekend.
In a lengthy statement on social media, the ex-Man United defender, who also played for Leeds, West Ham, Bournemouth and QPR, described it as a “difficult decision.”
Taking time to thank the network for their “tremendous support” over the years, especially those “behind the scenes, whose work often goes unseen but has been essential to our success.”
The talented centre-back retired in May 2015 after more than 500 appearances and 81 national team caps, making an almost immediate switch into punditry and remaining a household name.
Rio has also remained a popular figure at Old Trafford and, indeed, across various parts of Manchester since leaving United in 2014.
For instance, his self-titled Foundation has carried out some truly transformational local outreach across various boroughs, as it has back in his home city of London.
Responding to the news, TNT Sports said nothing more than “Thanks for everything, Rio”; meanwhile, fellow former Red, Danny Simpson (who retired last year and also works as a pundit/presenter for MUTV) added: “You’re going to be missed, bro. Every time you’re on, you give us all the mad insight.”
However, he has promised he will remain in the media industry, continuing to work under the Rio Ferdinand Presents digital brand and pursuing “other business interests”.
With his ‘Rio Reacts’ and ‘Vibe with FIVE’ series regularly raking in millions of views, he might not be on the box during European nights but you’ll still be seeing plenty of him.
Rare bat-eared foxes have arrived at Chester Zoo for the first time in more than 30 years
Emily Sergeant
It’s time to say a big hello, as rare bat-eared foxes have now arrived at Chester Zoo.
The two sisters, named Maasai and Malindi, have been welcomed by conservationists after travelling more than 500 miles from a zoo in Paris, and they are the first mammals of their kind to come to Chester Zoo in more than 30 years.
First images show the pair exploring their home in the zoo’s new Heart of Africa habitat – which officially opened to the public back in March, and is the largest zoo development ever undertaken in the UK, spanning more than 22.5 acres in size.
The adorable – but rather unique-looking – bat-eared fox is named after its distinctive oversized ears and is native to the open savannahs and arid grasslands of eastern and southern Africa.
They live for around 13 years on average, and their characteristically large ears help regulate their body temperature and enhance their incredible hearing, allowing them to prey like detect insects moving underground.
The species faces increasing threats in the wild, largely due to the loss of their habitat caused by agriculture, human encroachment, and hunting.
This is why Chester Zoo has long been at the forefront of protecting African wildlife.
Its teams’ have been supporting everything from the safe translocation of northern giraffes to protected national parks in Uganda, to developing cutting-edge AI trail cameras to protect giant pangolins from illegal trafficking in recent years.
Bat-eared foxes have arrived at Chester Zoo for the first time in 30 years / Credit: Chester Zoo
“It’s incredibly exciting to welcome bat-eared foxes back to Chester Zoo after a 30-year hiatus,” commented David White, who is the Twilight Team Manager at Chester Zoo.
“Both Maasai and Malindi are settling in well so far, spending much of their time exploring their expansive home and getting to know their new housemates – a family of twelve Cape porcupines. These two species would often come across one another in the wild, so we’ve recreated this right here at Chester.
“In time, we hope to introduce one of the two sisters to a male fox, with the hope that we can contribute to the European conservation breeding programme, helping to ensure there’s a healthy, genetically diverse back-up population in human care.
Emily Sergeant -
29th January 2024 
