What happened to the flavoured tobacco products ban 5 years ago?
Posted by Aatholin@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 56 comments
Does anyone remember this? 5 years ago the government banned flavoured tobacco products which included menthol filter tips and vapes. They brought out menthol pouches to put in tobacco to circumvent the ban and there were vapes called salt nics. But then I met a friend the night of the last census who was vaping I told him they were banned where I come from. Then all of a sudden there was no ban, no mention of it or anything. Was it all a lie? What actually happened?
MathematicianSad8487@reddit
Menthol cigs still banned .
takesthebiscuit@reddit
That really annoyed me, it was fucking menthol
sceptic-al@reddit
A little red strip of tarmac I knew used to get all bent of shape over it. Then again, he was a bit of a cycle path.
UnacceptableUse@reddit
Did you go menthol over it?
Aatholin@reddit (OP)
Click/capsule cigarettes are not even though they can be menthol but the ban did say they were getting banned
Cheap-Rate-8996@reddit
Those are legally classed as 'cigarillos', not cigarettes. And yes, it's a loophole, they don't really meet the classic definition of a cigarillo but are counted as such because they're wrapped in tobacco leaf.
that2017vibe@reddit
Bro really posted this, then argued with every single person that commented.
Aatholin@reddit (OP)
It's amazing how that happened isn't it. My mother taught me to argue. My mother loved a good argument she did. And if I was right I got a slap in the face.
NullPointerX@reddit
So I do recall the tobacco side of it. They banned the cigs with the menthol push capsule in the filter. There was talk of banning menthol roll up filters but they’re still going.
Aatholin@reddit (OP)
They also apparently banned vapes back then but...
MustrumRidicully@reddit
No, they banned vapes with liquid capacities larger than 2ml and the sale of vape liquid containing nicotine above 10ml/20mg nicotine strength. I don't know why you think vapes were outright banned, but you're wrong on that one.
AssociationGold8745@reddit
There was a lot of press about the banning of disposable vapes, maybe some further confusion mixing the two stories for OP? (A mate saying their proud Mary is going to be banned, and op taking it as all vapes? ) the number of shops still selling them openly in my town is ridiculous though.
Alert_Mine7067@reddit
I remember this, I worked in retail at the time and all of the stock of menthols and crush ball were uplifted, menthol filters too although I may be mistaken. Menthol disappeared altogether, sterling dual stayed white and the packet became divided into 2 with 10 cigarettes in each section, and a menthol flavour insert card could be bought to season the packet. I believe menthol crushball filters weren't banned, the ones that you put into a rollie, not sure why but my guess is that they're technically not a cigarette.
I was raging because I loved a Mayfair menthol,
It's definitely still in place, although when someone goes on holiday they can still pick up crushballs and bring them home.
feebsiegee@reddit
Menthol filters for rollies are still for sale in most places - source, I use them
Aatholin@reddit (OP)
Part of the governments ban was also they couldn't sell tobaçco at under a certain price which is why there are no 12.5g tobaccos now and only 30g and up and also the same for cigarettes which should have been packs of 20 and no 10's but yet they still sell 10 pack of cigarettes for £7. More government lies.
Alert_Mine7067@reddit
Yes, I remember that too, we only sold 30g and 50g after this.
Aatholin@reddit (OP)
Yes and they're still selling cigars and cigarillos for £7 and the actual point of that change in law was so young people could not afford to buy tobacco products as easily
MustrumRidicully@reddit
Where are you seeing packs of 10? You can't get them legally in shops (unless you're buying from a dodgy 'minimart' in which case they're definitely not legal).
Aatholin@reddit (OP)
They're cigarillos apparently but same difference really aren't they
MustrumRidicully@reddit
I haven't smoked a cigarillo since I was in my 20 and very very drunk but I seem to remember them being more cigar like than a cigarette. You'd feel sick as a dog if you tried to smoke one like a normal filter-tip ciggy.
Alert_Mine7067@reddit
The cigarillos are absolutely vile, but I think if they're wrapped in the same way as cigars, then technically they're not cigarettes, which allows them to contain a crushball, and allows them to be sold in 10s and without plain packaging, presumably 'cigars' aren't as habit bearing as cigarettes.
After smoking one, it's certainly not something I'd look into buying more of.
Aatholin@reddit (OP)
That's another thing with tobacco they've recently put more chemicals into it that makes you feel sick and also it absolutely stinks now. Tobacco never used to be like that.
forgottenoldusername@reddit
You aren't a very serious person, are you?
bumford11@reddit
In this case, they're not actually cigarillos. They're just cigarettes with a tobacco leaf instead of rolling paper holding everything together. It's a legal loophole kind of thing.
EvilTaffyapple@reddit
Cigarillos are like cigars, not cigarettes
cloud__19@reddit
Where are you seeing packs of 10 cigarettes?
After-Huckleberry580@reddit
I seem to remember that the 10s disappeared for a while.
budgiebirdman@reddit
A Consulate and a B&H were in the pub and the Consulate bumps into a Super King and spills his pint. The Super King gets angry and starts pushing the Consulate. The B&H steps in and says I wouldn't if were you mate, he's fucking menthol.
That joke is now obsolete. So many reasons to be mad about it.
Giorggio361@reddit
The ban never applied to vapes, just cigarettes with a “characterising flavour”. Menthols and other click filter cigarettes are banned from sale in the UK, but you can buy them abroad and bring them back.
Aatholin@reddit (OP)
Click capsule cigarettes are still available for sale in shops. Was it all a lie? Did 'big tobacco' threaten or pressure the government?
Giorggio361@reddit
Ok, doesn’t really matter what you heard, you can google literally all government legislation.
Big tobacco doesn’t need to threaten or pressure the government, it’s just way faster at innovating than the government is at legislating. When the government banned disposable vapes last year, they were basically ready to go with adding the components that made them non-disposable. There wasn’t a day you couldn’t walk into a shop and buy a cheap vape with 600 puffs inside.
Click capsule cigarettes are illegal so you can report the shop if you want. DIY menthols are still legal, as are click capsule cigarillos. Are you certain you’re not mixing them up?
Aatholin@reddit (OP)
600 puff vapes were also legally the maximum as well but that randomly got changed didn't it
Giorggio361@reddit
No. You can only have 2ml (roughly 600 puffs) of liquid in the pod but systems that allow the pod to be swapped out or refilled are allowed.
No offence meant but again, you can literally google every single one of these questions and find out the answer. Government legislation is available online.
Aatholin@reddit (OP)
Yes but the news stories back then were different to what the legislation apparently is now
MustrumRidicully@reddit
No they weren't. I was heavily into vaping at the time and followed it all quite closely. It was very clear that large tanks and large pre-mixes were going to made illegal and nothing about that changed up until the recent banning of disposables. There were rumours that flavoured juices would be banned which turned out not to be the case, but a full ban was never on the cards.
Aatholin@reddit (OP)
The rumours are what I heard and read, I think. But that was before I started vaping
Asleep-Software-4160@reddit
What have you been vaping?
Aatholin@reddit (OP)
And to answer your question blu vapes, the imperial tobacco sister company. They've been poisoning me in some form or another since I was 15
Aatholin@reddit (OP)
At some point someone has to call BS on replies like that. No offense. Undermining pedantically hinting that the commenter is crazy. That is unfair and happens well too often when people like you are backed into a corner
Asleep-Software-4160@reddit
No offense taken, you aren't in your right mind.
Dico80@reddit
Menthol filter tips definitely aren't banned, not for the last 4 years at least as they're stocked everywhere. I did think they were banned along with the cigs years ago but either I was mistaken or the ban was eased
Polz34@reddit
Came to say this, I still buy menthol filters
OptionalQuality789@reddit
Vapes and pouches are not tobacco products. This is obvious.
omg_daisy@reddit
Disposable vapes were banned but reusable ones weren't so companies just started selling refill pods for their vapes
Aatholin@reddit (OP)
That is recent legislation. I meant the other ban 5 years ago. I've been looking online about it and it says that click/capsule cigarettes were banned then - they haven't been. Menthol filter tips were banned back then but they haven't been. Vapes were banned but they haven't been.
ZekkPacus@reddit
Vapes weren't banned under the tobacco products directive, which is the set of laws you're referring to.
What was banned was premixed vape juice over 10ml or over 20mg strength.
Aatholin@reddit (OP)
I think I heard different but I could be wrong.
ZekkPacus@reddit
Trust me, I was big into vaping as a hobby back then, mixing my own eliquids and everything.
MrDibbsey@reddit
It was only the ready made fags that were banned at the time, the filters and capsules remained available. I know a few people moved across to the capsules but personally I'd stopped smoking menthol by then anyway.
AdEmbarrassed3066@reddit
I can only think you've misinterpreted the scope of the ban. It's flavoured tobacco and capsule cigarettes that are banned. Not vapes or nicotine pouches.
Aatholin@reddit (OP)
You know, I think they make it up as they go along
Riovem@reddit
Yeah... they make it up as they go along
Urbanyeti0@reddit
They were banned, but banning something doesn’t stop it being accessible, just look at illegal drugs, all that happens is people ship them from abroad, or you get counterfeiters making them
Aatholin@reddit (OP)
No. Vapes and menthol filter tips and capsule cigarettes are still sold legally in shops.
Urbanyeti0@reddit
Like I said, they’re illegal s15 Tabacco & Related Products Regulations 2016 but some shops sell illegal items that the get through other channels
If you spot them you can report them to Trading Standards, their local council, or Crimestoppers
AutoModerator@reddit
Please help keep AskUK welcoming!
When replying to submission/post please make genuine efforts to answer the question given. Please no jokes, judgements, etc. If a post is marked 'Serious Answers Only' you may receive a ban for violating this rule.
Don't be a dick to each other. If getting heated, just block and move on.
This is a strictly no-politics subreddit!
Please help us by reporting comments that break these rules.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.