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Showing posts from May, 2023

The Waste Issue Created by Single-Use Vapes: A Growing Environmental Concern

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Vaping has become increasingly popular among young individuals in the United Kingdom, with a significant rise in usage reported in recent years. According to a survey, current vaping among U.K. children aged 11-17 increased from 4% in 2020 to 7% in 2022, while the percentage of teens who reported ever having tried vaping rose from 14% in 2020 to 16% in 2022. Disposable vapes have emerged as the most commonly used devices, with a staggering increase from 7% in 2020 and 8% in 2021 to 52% in 2022. These rising trends in vaping have led to a concerning waste issue created by single-use vapes. Online vape platform IndeJuice reported a massive 279% increase in sales of disposable vapes in the final quarter of 2021 compared to the previous one. It has been estimated that the 7% of the UK’s population using these products are purchasing approximately half a billion units per year, a significant portion of which end up being thrown away each week.

The Environmental Liability of Disposable Vapes: A Growing Concern

Disposable e-cigarettes are a growing problem in Canada, not only because they fuel nicotine addiction among youth and give Big Tobacco companies new ways to market their products, but also because they're a major environmental liability. Canada is trying to meet an ambitious goal of zero plastic waste by 2030 by introducing a ban on the use of single-use plastics like grocery bags and straws. But plastic disposable e-cigarettes are complicating these efforts, largely because the vaping industry, which produces millions of these devices a year, has no way to recycle them effectively. Environmental Impact of Disposable Vapes Disposable vapes not only contain plastic but also rechargeable lithium-ion batteries and toxic metals that can leach into the environment and are non-recyclable, adding to the more than 50 million tonnes of electronic waste estimated to be generated globally each year, according to the UN. "People treat it as disposable, so it's littered or thrown away...

Nicotine-Free Vapes Banned in Australia: Government Takes Action Against Recreational Use

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Australia's Health Minister Mark Butler announced a new policy that aims to eliminate recreational vaping by banning nicotine-free vapes and only allowing vapes with nicotine to be sold by pharmacies in medical-style packaging to people with prescriptions. According to the health minister, vaping is creating a new generation of nicotine dependency, which poses a significant threat to Australia's success in tobacco control. This article will explore the rationale behind the new policy, its potential impact, and the government's plans for implementing the new regulations.