Scotland's vape ban delayed by two months to align with UK nations

A ban on single-use vapes in Scotland will be delayed by two months to align with other UK nations.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) confirmed on Wednesday that new legislation has been laid out in Parliament to ban the sale of single-use vapes from June 1, 2025.

The Scottish Government previously set April 1, 2025, as the date the ban would come into force in Scotland.

However, cabinet secretary for Health and Social Care, Neil Gray, said this would be amended to June 1, to ensure a common date across Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Gray said: “The Scottish Government was the first in the UK to commit to taking action on single-use vapes.

“We have worked closely across the four nations to ensure a consistent approach to a ban on the sale and supply of single-use vapes so we can provide certainty to businesses and consumers,” he said.

“We will lay regulations to amend the current coming into force date from April 1, 2025 to June 1, 2025 to ensure a common date across the four nations.”

E-cigarettes are said to be part of the fastest-growing sources of electrical waste in the UK and pose a risk of fire.

Last year, up to five million single-use vapes were estimated to be either littered or thrown away every week in the UK – almost four times as much as the previous year.