Retailers expressed fears that elderly and vulnerable users will go back to smoking cigarettes because rechargeable vapes can be  particularly difficult for elderly customers, those with eyesight and coordination problems or arthritis. They also expressed concern that potentially illegal and  dangerous products  could be  smuggled into the UK  and cause serious health problems for innocent users. 

The Dispensary, in Friars Walk, Newport, expressed hope that the government will cooperate with traders and promote the new tech e-cigarettes that will save the vulnerable  from going back to smoking.

“Tech gives us simple solutions. The ‘indisposable’ vape is now available. It’s a pre-filled pod that isn’t fiddly and is user friendly. Few know about it and it needs to be put out there so that people know they have an option to remain smoke free,” said Dispensary operations manager, Terri Burville.

She encouraged users to research the product online. 

She explained that the industry understands why the regulation is coming in, but  the industry wishes it could work with regulators to  get its message over.

“We are all about smoking cessation, that’s our business. We certainly don’t want to see customers using smuggled, illegal and unregulated products, any more than we want to see elderly and other vulnerable customers being forced back to smoking because they don’t know about new alternatives.”

This view was echoed by other city traders such as The Vape Escape and  eVapor.

Customers were also quite relaxed about the ban: “Shops have cleared out of those old vapes weeks ago. I’ve been up the valleys and seen some shops still selling them, but what do you expect up there,” said a customer who  would only give his name as ‘Dave’.

Lewys Flowers of Cwmbran laughed when asked if he knew about about ‘indisposbale’ vapes.

“I know what they are because  I work in the industry. I agree with general regulation and the ban on disposables, but don’t agree that the industry should be regulated out of business.

“Regulators are on the path to crush the industry and will equalise all duty on nicotine products, that’s their game. This is very bad news for all types of quitters and lots of vulnerable people who will continue to vape.

“We are a responsible industry and we’re now fighting  against inflexible regulators that just don’t care about the outcomes of their war on vaping.”

Vaping duty is planned to come in October 2026. Some in the industry fear that equalising all duty on nicotine products will be the next move.