‘Like candy’ - Your view on child-friendly vape packaging and potential ban

The Local Government Association, which represents councils in England and Wales, is calling for the Government to ban the sale and manufacture of single use vapes such as Elf bars and Lost Mary by 2024.

Directors of Public Health in Cheshire and Merseyside's nine local council areas – including Liverpool – have expressed their concern about the increase in the use of vapes.

Health bosses and councils are particularly concerned with the marketing of vapes with designs and flavours that could appeal to children, particularly those with fruity and bubble gum flavours and colourful child-friendly packaging. They want strict new measures to regulate the display and marketing of regular vaping products in the same way as tobacco.

We’ve been on the streets of Liverpool to get your opinion on vapes, child-friendly packaging and a potential ban.

• Crystal said: “It just looks really childish.”
• Dave said: “It should be for older people for when they pack in smoking.”
• Michael said: “The flavours that they have sound like candy.”

As a group, the Directors of Public Health are calling for a country-wide ban on sales of disposable vapes, additional restrictions on advertising and marketing of vapes, a significant increase in fines for retailers selling illicit vaping products and vapes to those aged under 18, and a consultation on the licensing and regulation of vapes.

Disposable vapes are a hazard for waste and litter collection and cause fires in bin lorries. They are designed as one unit so batteries cannot be separated from the plastic, making them almost impossible to recycle without going through special treatment.

Local Directors of Public Health are endorsing the advice from England's Chief Medical Officer: "If you smoke, vaping is much safer. If you don't smoke, don't vape."

Watch the video above for our full feature on vaping and its impact.