San Francisco first US city to ban vapes and e-cigarettes - should it happen in the UK?

Should a vaping ban be put in place in the UK? (Photo: Shutterstock)Should a vaping ban be put in place in the UK? (Photo: Shutterstock)
Should a vaping ban be put in place in the UK? (Photo: Shutterstock)

San Francisco has become the first US city to ban the sale and delivery of e-cigarettes and vapes despite being home to the most popular vaping company in the US.

City officials banned stores selling vaporisers and made it illegal for retailers to deliver to addresses in the city, reported the BBC.

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This is despite San Francisco being the home to Juul Labs, the most popular vaping brand in the country.

Health effects unclear

Politicians made the decision after the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said they needed more time to set guidelines for the safety of e-cigarettes.

The deadline for these guidelines had initially been set for August 2018, but the FDA has extended it until 2021 to allow companies more time to have their products checked.

The number of US teenagers admitting to using nicotine products rose by 36 per cent last year according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, attributed to a growth in vaping.

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San Francisco’s City Attorney, Dennis Herrera, campaigned for a ban and branded the FDA’s delay an “abdication of responsibility”.

‘Vapes should be banned in public’

In June, experts warned MPs that a similar ban should be put in place in England due to the unclear effects of vaping.

Professor Martin McKee from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine said he had “serious concerns” about the safety of vape pens, reported The Sun.

He said Public Health England are promoting vaping without fully exploring the potential dangers, despite 16 per cent of teenagers trying them out.

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Professor McKee added: “The nicotine in e-cigarettes is not a harmless drug and then there are all these other things such as flavourings that are inhaled.

"We haven't had e-cigarettes for long enough to know the true effects. But when we look at the evidence we do have, there are enough grounds for serious concerns”

Should a ban be put in place in England?

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This story originally appeared on our sister site, the Yorkshire Evening Post.