A senior Member of Parliament in the UK has raised concerns about the availability of “monster vape” kits that claim to have the equivalent puff-power of over 8,000 cigarettes. Dr. Beccy Cooper, a Labour MP and public health practitioner, is urging for the Tobacco & Vapes Bill to address legal loopholes exploited by sellers offering 100,000-puff vape packages in the UK market.
The popularity of these kits has surged since the Government’s ban on disposable vapes in June last year. Dr. Cooper, representing Worthing West, emphasized that these “monster vapes” go against the ban on disposable vapes and existing tank size limits, posing significant public health risks and should not be sold in the UK.
She stressed the need to close regulatory gaps through the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, highlighting the importance of preventing the marketing of devices with ultra-high puff capacity that undermine efforts to reduce smoking rates in the country.
Currently, UK regulations cap the nicotine e-liquid capacity of an individual vape tank at 2ml. However, campaigners warn that some manufacturers are circumventing these rules by creating devices with multiple 2ml tanks that users can interchange.
Prior to the disposable vape ban, studies indicated that mega-puff devices accounted for a significant portion of the market, with three million weekly sales. There was also a notable increase in value sales of vaping devices offering over 600 puffs between June and October last year, as reported by Better Retailing.
Material Focus, an advocate for circular economies, has cautioned about the cost-effectiveness of “big puff” vapes compared to disposable ones. They warned about a potential environmental crisis due to the proliferation of such models even after the single-use vape ban.
The 100,000-puff vape kits, available in various flavors, comply with regulations by meeting reusable criteria. Advocates have raised concerns that these cheap devices may discourage reusability, leading users to opt for new purchases, contradicting the purpose of the disposable vape ban aimed at curbing environmental pollution.
While vaping products are promoted as a smoking cessation aid, health experts highlight the unknown long-term effects of e-cigarettes. They advise non-smokers and children against vaping while acknowledging its potential benefits for smokers looking to quit.
The Tobacco and Vapes Bill, currently under review in the House of Lords, includes provisions to prohibit individuals born on or after January 1, 2009, from purchasing cigarettes in the future.