(CLO) To deal with environmental pollution and the alarming increase in the number of children using e-cigarettes, the British Government has decided to completely ban the sale of this product from June next year.
Over the past decade, e-cigarette use has grown rapidly in the UK, with almost 10% of the population buying and using these products.
Advocates say e-cigarettes can be an effective tool to help smokers quit traditional cigarettes, but health authorities worry that their colorful designs and fruity flavors could easily attract children and teenagers.
Illustration photo: Reuters
According to a 2024 survey by the health charity ASH, one in five children aged 11 to 17 have tried an e-cigarette. It is illegal in the UK to sell e-cigarettes containing nicotine to children under 18.
In January, the UK government introduced a series of tough anti-smoking measures, including banning disposable e-cigarettes and preventing children under 15 from accessing tobacco.
UK Health Secretary Andrew Gwynne has stressed that banning disposable e-cigarettes would not only help protect the environment but also reduce the appeal of the product to children, protecting them from the risk of addiction and health damage.
An average of 5 million disposable e-cigarettes will be discarded haphazardly every week by 2023, causing serious environmental pollution. They will then end up in landfill or be incinerated, posing a fire hazard due to their lithium-ion batteries.
ASH has called on lawmakers to carefully consider the provisions in the Tobacco and E-cigarette Bill, to ensure that e-cigarettes remain an effective aid for people wanting to quit traditional cigarettes.
Ha Trang (according to Reuters)
Source: https://www.congluan.vn/vuong-quoc-anh-se-cam-thuoc-la-dien-tu-dung-mot-lan-post318356.html
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