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xScotland bans single-use vapes to protect health and the environment
Date: 25th June 2025
Category:
General measures of implementation, Disability, Basic Health and Welfare
From June 1st 2025, single-use vapes can no longer be sold or stocked in Scotland. The new law is part of a UK-wide ban aimed at reducing environmental harm and protecting public health.
The Scottish Government hopes this step will help create a tobacco-free generation by 2034. In 2023, around 26 million disposable vapes were thrown away in Scotland. More than half were not recycled properly, and about 10% ended up as litter. The batteries inside these vapes are hard to recycle, can leak dangerous materials, and may even cause fires at waste sites. The ban was made possible under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, which has been used before to ban things like microbeads and plastic straws. It follows public support in a 2023 consultation on how to reduce youth vaping and promote a smoke-free future.
Acting Net Zero Secretary Gillian Martin said:
“Scotland was the first nation in the UK to commit to taking action on single use vapes.
“It’s estimated that over half of disposable vapes are incorrectly disposed of each year in Scotland – creating a fire risk and littering our beautiful environment. They also contain nicotine which is highly addictive.
“This change to the law fulfils a Programme for Government commitment and will help tackle the threat that single-use vapes pose to our environment as well as to our public health.
Meanwhile, the UK Government is also working on new rules through the Tobacco and Vapes Bill. These include raising the age to buy tobacco and controlling how reusable vapes are displayed and packaged.