A black market for VAPES: Brits 'will turn to illegal options'

Millions of Brits are prepared to turn to the black market for their nicotine hit after the new disposable vape ban comes into play.

Experts are worried the law from June 1 will people who vape to smoke potentially harmful substances from illegal sources - or push former smokers back to cigarettes.

Nearly two thirds of people who smoke disposable vapes are prepared to buy illicit vapes if they were readily available, according to a new survey.

And thanks to the rising taxes on vapes that are set to come in to place from October 2026, 30 per cent said they would preemptively turn to cigarettes.

'These findings highlight a very real unintended consequence,' said Andrej Kuttruf, CEO of Evapo, who commissioned the study.