Humza Yousaf says Scottish Government to consider banning disposable vapes

The Scottish Government will give “consideration” to a potential ban on disposable vapes, the health secretary has said.

Humza Yousaf told Holyrood that an expert group would examine evidence on the devices after he was asked about a campaign against them.

Figures have shown e-cigarette use in Britain is on the rise and reached record levels last year.

Statistics indicate an estimated 4.3 million people across Scotland, England and Wales use the devices, 8.3% of adults in the three countries.

An STV News investigation found the number of pupils vaping at high schools has increased substantially over the last four years.

In October, the Irish Government launched a consultation on banning “wasteful” single-use vapes, citing concerns over littering.

Meanwhile an environmental campaigner in Dundee recently revealed she found 55 disposable vapes littering the streets of the city during one four-mile walk.

Laura Young has been highlighting the issue and was congratulated by Yousaf for her work, noting she is colloquially described as the “vaped crusader”.

Green MSP Gillian Mackay raised the Daily Record newspaper’s campaign against disposable vapes in Parliament on Thursday.

She said: “As well as being an issue for public health, they are an issue for the environment, as covered by the campaign in the Daily Record today.

“Would the cabinet secretary support a ban on single-use vapes?”

Yousaf said Public Health Scotland is examining the impact of vaping, with an action plan due in autumn this year.

He said there is limited evidence on their long-term impact on the products, but the World Health Organisation has concluded they are undoubtedly harmful to health.

Yousaf said: “Gillian Mackay is absolutely right, there’s a public health issue that we are exploring and will explore.

“We will ask stakeholders with the relevant expertise to examine the evidence and assess what action the Scottish Government and other partners should take.

“That will include consideration of a potential ban.”