A Carlisle vape shop has voiced its concerns over the government's reported plans to ban single-use vapes in the UK.
The Telegraph revealed earlier this week that the government will unveil plans to ban disposable vapes in an attempt to stop children from becoming addicted.
Health ministers are keen to act amid concerns that the vapes are increasingly aimed at young children, due to their bright colours and extravagant flavours.
Unlike Australia, which has banned vaping altogether without a prescription, e-cigarettes will still be sold in the UK as a way of helping smokers quit.
But for local businesses, such as Vapestation in Carlisle, the ban on disposable devices could be devastating.
Vapestation owner Anthony Jardine said: "We've been open since January this year, selling mainly just disposable vapes. It's a great way to get people off smoking, it has a lot more health benefits than smoking. The news that the government is planning to ban them, obviously wouldn't be great from our side of things."
While the government's ban stems from a concern over those under 18 becoming addicted, nobody under 18 is allowed into Vapestation Cumbria, and customers must present ID.
"I don't understand why the government are doing this really, if they do ban it then they're going to have a lot more people back on cigarettes. The only reason I can see them doing it is because they don't get the tax."
"We're definitely worried about it, but we will just have to wait and see what the government does and then take it from there. We do refillable vapes so it would just have to be a change in the market.
"People will still have stock everywhere and I imagine they will still be able to get their hands on them, just not from shops."
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