Scottish Green MSP hails growing consensus for banning disposable vapes
There is a growing consensus to ban the sale of disposable vapes, says Scottish Green MSP Gillian Mackay, who has called for such a move on health and environmental grounds.
Ms Mackay was speaking on the same morning that the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health has called for a ban to be implemented. This follows calls from multiple councils including those in Glasgow, Edinburgh and the Highlands.
She has also highlighted some of the steps that retailers can take ahead of a full ban, such as keeping products away from public view in the same way as cigarettes, and raising awareness of the legal purchase age and highlighting disposable return points in store.
A Scottish Government report into the impact of disposable vapes will be published in the weeks ahead.
Ms Mackay said:
“Disposable vapes create a huge amount of waste. You can see it on every high street in the country. They are bad for our environment and for our health.
“I am delighted to see such strong and growing consensus against them, and look forward to working with the Royal College and others to ensure that we can introduce the ban that is so badly needed.
“In the meantime, there are lots of steps that retailers can already take, such as ensuring that they are hidden from public view, like cigarettes, and highlighting how and where they can be responsibly disposed of in store.
“With medical professionals and councils and campaigners all over the country calling for change, I hope that Scotland can lead the UK by banning disposable vapes for good.”
