A ban on disposable e-cigarettes in the UK could lead to young people switching to alternative products, including cigarettes, new research led by the University of Bristol has found.
In response to growing concerns about e-cigarettes among young people, the UK government last year introduced a ban on disposable e-cigarettes (from 1 June 2025). The ban is aimed at curbing use by minors, but the impact it may have on the approximately 2.5 million adults in the UK who rely on disposable e-cigarettes is unclear.
New qualitative research PLOS Global Public Health Today (March 11), young people revealed how they expected the ban to affect them. This is believed to be the first study to examine how people who have used disposable e-cigs view the UK ban and how they expect to respond.
Researchers interviewed 22 regular users of disposable e-cigarettes between the ages of 18 and 30, including those who had never smoked, those who had smoked previously, and those who used both e-cigarettes and cigarettes. Through online semi-structured interviews, participants reflected on their vaping and smoking behaviors, how they expected to adapt post-ban, and what broader impacts they anticipated.
Key findings from the study include:
- strong support for ban
Many participants expressed support for this policy, linking it to the surge in youth vaping. - Planned transition to reusable devices
Most people reported transitioning to reusable or rechargeable e-cigarettes once disposable e-cigarettes were no longer available. - Risk of increased smoking
Some dual users, as well as a few non-regular smokers and one former smoker, said they might return to cigarettes or smoke more instead of switching to reusable e-cigarette products. - Different views on the impact of illegal markets
While some participants believed the ban would lead to a reduction in illegal sales, others were concerned that the illegal market for disposable e-cigarettes could expand.
The study suggests that while the ban may have the intended benefits in terms of reducing use, particularly among young people, it may have unintended consequences for young adult users. These include the potential for increased smoking among some people.
Dr Jasmine Kouja, who was a researcher on the project when she was at Bristol University and is now at the University of Bath and is one of its co-authors, said: “Although the ban on disposable e-cigarettes was not intended to encourage the use of cigarettes, other nicotine products or the illicit market, some young people have considered these options in anticipation of the ban in June 2025.”
“Our findings may guide future research on the impact of bans on disposable e-cigarettes and inform efforts to mitigate the unintended consequences of bans.”
Our research provides important insights into how a ban on disposable e-cigarettes in the UK may impact young adult users. Although many participants indicated an intention to switch to alternative e-cigarette products, some participants said they might switch to cigarettes instead. ”
Richie Kerr, one of the researchers and corresponding author
Although the sample of young adults provided rich insights, its composition was primarily comprised of white women aged 18 to 22, and around half were from the University of Bristol, limiting the extent to which the findings can be applied to other genders, ethnicities and older adults.
The researchers suggest that future studies should use a more diverse group of participants to examine how the ban affects a wider range of ages. Studies should also objectively measure the impact of bans on behavioral changes such as smoking initiation, smoking frequency, use of other nicotine products, and use of illicit products.
It also highlights the need to identify and address potential mitigating factors to reduce unintended harm.
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Reference magazines:
Exploring the potential impact of a ban on disposable e-cigarettes in the UK: A qualitative study with young people who use disposable e-cigarettes. PLOS Global Public Health. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0004686. https://journals.plos.org/globalpublichealth/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgph.0004686
