A BOURNEMOUTH vape store has criticised the upcoming ban on disposable vapes.

The Government announced earlier this year that it will ban all disposable vape products and restrict flavours targeted at children in a bid to combat underage vaping across the UK.

Tidal Vape is dedicated to helping smokers give up smoking cigarettes, ultimately beating the habit, and improving their health.

The ban on disposable vapes could come into force as early as later this year.

Gurdeep Landa, 44 and owner of Tidal Vape said: “The ban is a convenient way for adults to give up smoking because it replicates a cigarette the way the traditional combustible cigarette does.

“It mimics a cigarette better than any other device.

“We're on a very clear standpoint that all vapes should be regulated and distributed by proper vape retailers with licensing. Now, the ban on disposables itself, I believe, is a very silly move.

Bournemouth Echo:

“There's a massive endemic of children using these disposable vapes.”

CEO Ben Richardson, 33 added: “When you're trying to quit smoking, there are two mentalities at play when you are trying to get off the cigarettes.

“The truth is no one likes the taste of cigarettes. They do it because it's a forced habit.

“This is why the different flavours come out, which is where the second mentality comes into it.

“The reason why we have access to all of these flavours is that your brain prefers the taste of that rather than the cigarette, therefore becoming 95% less harmful than cigarettes.

“So that's the mentality difference that no one has explained why the flavours exist.

“Flavours exist because we are trying to get people off cigarettes and the best way to do that is to give you something that you would prefer.

“Everything should be regulated and licensed to vape retailers.

"You shouldn't be able to go to your Co-op where you buy sweets, where you buy your bread and your milk, and be forced to look at cigarettes.”

Muntazir Dipoti, the National President of the Federation of Independent Retailers, said: “While we agree that action is needed to prevent children and young people from being attracted to vaping, we do not believe that banning disposable vapes is the way to go about it.”

 “An outright ban will simply send youngsters towards unorthodox and illicit sources where there is no compliance to tobacco and vaping laws, while the products they peddle are likely to contain dangerous and illegal levels of toxic chemicals.

“Disposable vapes are usually more affordable and, as such, are a bigger incentive for adult smokers to change to vapes.”