While smoking in pubs is prohibited, there are no legal restrictions against vaping. So, the decision to allow or ban vaping ultimately comes down to the publican.
Operators including JD Wetherspoon, Greene King and Mitchells & Butlers have banned vaping.
In 2019, Mitchells & Butlers, which owns brands including Harvester and Toby Carvery, told The Morning Advertiser it did not allow vaping in its venues out of consideration for other guests, and to avoid potential confusion arising from the distinction between e-cigarettes and real cigarettes.
Star Pubs & Bars, on the other hand, has decided not to introduce a vaping policy as its pubs are leased.
Record high
This comes after MPs called for Government to introduce restrictions on the packaging and marketing of disposable vapes to tackle the “alarming trend” of children using the products.
The health and social care committee said there should be restrictions on how e-cigarettes are sold, such as the ones in place for tobacco products.
The number of people vaping hit record levels in 2022, with 8.3% of adults (4.3m) using the products, a report from Action on Smoking and Health revealed.
For Lifestyle Packaging marketing lead Steve Brownett-Gale, local councils’ backing of plans to ban disposable vapes came as “no surprise”.
Marketing concerns
He continued: “The truth is, disposable vapes are marketed at young people. Single-use options are relatively cheap to purchase, come in bright colours and are widely available. They’re only slightly more costly than a packet of sweets.
“Yet, despite their childlike appearance and low costs, the vapes could have serious consequences long-term, with recent studies showing some contained high levels of chemicals like lead, nickel and chromium and did not meet regulatory standards. This could affect a young person’s central nervous system and brain development.”
NHS guidelines state that vaping is “substantially less harmful” than smoking and is also one of the most effective tools for quitting smoking.
New laws around selling e-cigarettes came into force on 20 May 2017, meaning the retail of the products became much more tightly regulated.
