There’s a lot of vape news out there, and most of it is rubbish. Tabloid scare stories, US headlines that don’t apply here, PR releases from competitor brands trying to sound important. This page strips all that out. Every Thursday we read the official sources — gov.uk, the NHS, HMRC, the MHRA, ASA rulings, Trading Standards briefings — and write up the bits that actually affect UK vapers and UK vape shops in plain English. Three to five stories a week, no clickbait, no scaremongering.

If you want to know what’s coming, what’s changed, and what it means for you, this is the page. Older round-ups stay below the current one so you can scroll back through.

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Round-up, week of 6 June 2026

Three stories this week: a correction to the advertising ban timing, fresh data a year on from the disposables ban, and a recycling proposal.

1. Correction: the vape advertising ban now starts 1 June 2027

An update to our earlier story. The comprehensive ban on advertising and sponsorship of vaping and nicotine products under the Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026 is now confirmed to come into force on 1 June 2027, not this summer as some earlier reporting suggested. The Government published the timing on 1 June 2026, so there is a clear runway before anything changes.

The important part for you: the rules target promotion, not information. Retail websites can still give factual detail about the products they sell, strengths, flavours, ingredients and how a kit works. What goes is the marketing push: billboards, sponsored posts, shop-window adverts. The Government’s stated reason is youth vaping, with awareness of vape promotion among 11 to 17 year olds rising from 37 per cent in 2022 to around 55 per cent in 2025. Guidance for businesses is still being written, and we will keep this page updated as it lands. (gov.uk, Ending the advertising and sponsorship of vaping and nicotine products)

2. One year on from the disposables ban: the numbers

It has been a year since single-use disposable vapes were banned across the UK, and the first proper data is in. Survey figures suggest disposables have dropped sharply among younger vapers, with the share of 11 to 17 year olds mainly using single-use devices falling from around 42 per cent before the ban to roughly 13 per cent now. Campaigners say the trend is encouraging but the job is not finished.

What this means for you: if you switched away from disposables this year and are still finding your feet with a refillable kit or pods, that is exactly what our starter guides are for. A reusable setup costs less over time and gives you more control over strength and flavour. (Sky News, YouGov survey data)

3. Waste firms call for a deposit on vapes

Waste companies have proposed a deposit of up to 5 pounds on vapes to encourage proper disposal and cut the fires caused by lithium batteries in general waste. It is a proposal, not law, but it points at where the conversation on vape recycling is heading. We will report back if anything firms up. (BBC News)

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Round-up — week of 11 May 2026

Three stories this week, all consequential, all already happening.

1. The Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026 is now law

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill received Royal Assent on 29 April 2026 and is now the Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026. It’s the biggest change to UK tobacco and vape law in years. The headline bit — the “smoke-free generation” rolling age ban — applies only to tobacco, cigarette papers and herbal smoking products, not to vapes. Anyone born on or after 1 January 2009 will never legally be able to buy tobacco in the UK. Vapes and nicotine products remain a flat 18+, same as before.

What this means for you: if you’re an adult vaper, nothing changes about your right to buy vapes. If you’re 17 and reading this, you still can’t buy vapes anywhere in the UK, sorry. The bigger changes for the shop — advertising restrictions, new licensing, age-verification at checkout — are covered in stories 2 and 3 below. (gov.uk — Tobacco and Vapes Bill becomes law) (LGA — Tobacco and Vapes Act FAQs)

2. Vape advertising and sponsorship ban — already kicking in

Within two months of Royal Assent (so by the end of June 2026), a UK-wide ban on advertising and sponsorship of vapes, nicotine pouches, heated tobacco and similar products comes into force. The ban covers all media: posters, online ads, social media, influencer marketing, digital banners, emails, SMS, sponsorship deals, branded displays. Retailers can still list products on their own websites for sale — that’s allowed — but they can’t promote them in a way that’s deemed to encourage uptake, especially anything that could appeal to under-18s.

What this means for you: probably nothing visible. You’ll see fewer billboards and fewer vape ads on social media. For us as a shop, it means a quiet audit of how we present products on the site and in any marketing emails — listing is fine, promoting is restricted. (ASA — Tobacco Advertising: Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026)

3. Vape duty starts 1 October 2026 — 22p per ml

HMRC’s new Vaping Products Duty (VPD) starts on 1 October 2026. It’s a flat rate of £2.20 per 10ml of e-liquid (22p per ml), applied regardless of nicotine strength or whether the liquid contains nicotine at all. VAT (20%) is charged on top. To put that in real money: one of our £2.50 10ml bottles will rise to around £5.14 at the till once duty and the VAT on that duty are added in. A 100ml shortfill will carry £22 of duty before VAT. These are not small numbers.

What this means for you: prices on every e-liquid product will rise from 1 October. There’s a six-month transitional period for stock made or imported before that date. We’ll write more about the practical impact closer to the time, including any stock-up advice that makes sense for regular customers. (gov.uk — Prepare for Vaping Products Duty)

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