London: A survey in the UK shows that the ban on e-cigarettes has been ineffective, leading to a growth in the illegal product market. A recent survey by Haypp, a global e-commerce retailer, shows that the ban on the sale of disposable e-cigarettes in the UK has not achieved its goals. Users can still purchase these products from illegal shops, while some have switched to traditional cigarettes.

According to Thai News Agency, a survey of 1,000 e-cigarette users found that 35% still purchase disposable e-cigarettes despite a year since the law banning the sale of disposable e-cigarettes was enforced. The most common illegal sources of e-cigarettes were convenience stores or community shops (51%), street markets or market carts (35%), e-cigarette shops (28%), and from friends or family members (28%).

Although the ban on e-cigarette sales has led to a decrease in demand for e-cigarettes, with 61% reporting reduced use and 8% quitting completely, a worrying trend remains among those who reduced or quit e-cigarette use. 41% reverted to traditional cigarettes, 44% switched to nicotine pouches or snus, 17% used refillable e-cigarettes, and 12% used chewing tobacco.

Dr. Marina Murphy, Senior Director of Scientific Affairs at Haypp, stated that the data reflects the negative impact of a complete ban, which not only fuels the black market but also causes many users to relapse into traditional cigarettes-a more worrying public health outcome. This highlights that a ban on e-cigarettes is an ineffective law.

The survey also found that cities with high levels of disposable e-cigarette purchases after the ban included Sheffield (50%), Newcastle (48%), Southampton (48%), London (46%), Manchester (38%), Leeds (33%), Bristol (31%), and Edinburgh (30%).