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Scotland could ban disposable vapes under plans unveiled by the country’s first minister.
Campaigners have highlighted the environmental impact of the plastic tubes, which are often thrown on the ground after being used.
Concerns have been raised around their growing popularity among young people.
Humza Yousaf said his government would hold a consultation on a single-use vape ban as he set out his priorities for the coming year.
He told the Scottish Parliament: “I hear too often about how common vaping is among our young people.
“In the next year we will take action to reduce vaping – particularly among children.
“I’m pleased to announce that this government will consult on curbing the sale of disposable single-use vapes, including consulting on an outright ban.”
A recent Scottish government report found that 22% of all under-18s – around 78,000 – are believed to have used a vape last year with more young people using them than smoking cigarettes.
It found that most e-cigarette users under 18 prefer single use vapes.
The review by Zero Waste Scotland estimated that up to 2.7 million single-use vapes were littered in Scotland last year.
The study estimated that there were 543,000 users of e-cigarettes in Scotland and predicted that without intervention that will rise to 900,000 by 2027.
A survey from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) has also suggested that more young women in the UK are vaping daily.
The proportion of women aged 16 to 24 who said they were doing it increased from 1.9% in 2021 to 6.7% in 2022.
This represents an estimated rise from about 62,000 to 225,000 across the UK.
Scottish Greens MSP Gillian Mackay said the move to explore a single-use vape ban will “protect generations of young smokers from untold harm to their health”.
She said: “There will be a likely faux outcry from those in the tobacco industry and potentially even the UK government, which likes nothing better than to meddle in decisions taken by our Parliament, but this is too important for political games.
“Experts across the medical world and environmental campaigners agree there is an urgent and growing need for action.”
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