Single-use vapes are being sold for as little as 50p as supermarkets and vape shops across the island get rid of old stock ahead of the ban that comes into force next month.
It became illegal to import and supply single-use vapes in Jersey on 1 August 2025, but retailers were given a six-month sell-through period to get rid of any remaining stock.
That period is set to end on Sunday 1 February, so there has been a flurry of discounted vapes on sale across the island in a bid to eliminate old stock.
The ban came into place primarily as an environmental measure, as single-use vapes are difficult to recycle and are a fire hazard when disposed of with general rubbish.
However, there were also public health concerns, including that the cheap single-use e-cigarette devices were accessible to children and young people.
Vapes Jersey owner Sarah Ward told Express that she had not noticed any decrease in people buying vapes ahead of the ban, as customers had simply “adapted to the new style or moved on to a traditional vaping device”.
However, she warned that “the real issue” with vaping in Jersey is that devices are being sold to under-18s.
“The shops that do this aren’t scared to because no one is policing this,” she said. “And under-18s can order vapes online and have them posted if they really want them.”
And a spokesperson for VaporizerHut raised concerns that the ban on single-use vapes would “actually cause more unnecessary waste” because of the packaging that comes with the refills for the devices.
The spokesperson said that some refillable vapes are sold at a “very similar price” to single-use ones, suggesting that the ban would not make vapes any less affordable for young people.
“Most people have already moved over to the new model,” they added.
Another local vape shop told Express that they were also discounting single-use vapes to sell at £2 each, and the devices have been spotted at local supermarkets for as little as 50p.
A spokesperson from Public Health said that vapes “are not intended for children and young people or for people who do not already smoke”.
“While we recognise that some adults may choose to purchase vapes ahead of the ban, vaping should be seen as a temporary aid to stop smoking, not a lifelong alternative,” they added.
“Once someone has stopped smoking and feels confident they will not return to tobacco, we encourage them to also stop vaping over time.
“The greatest public health benefit comes from people being completely smoke‑free and vape‑free, and we would urge islanders to move towards that goal.”
From Sunday 1 February, it will be illegal for traders and islanders to:
- Sell, lend, exchange or gift single-use vapes
- Order single-use vapes from an off-island trader and import them by post
- Bring single-use vapes into the island in personal baggage.
Illegal imports of single-use vapes will be seized and could be fined up to £1,000.
A vape is considered single-use if it meets one or more of the following:
- It cannot be reused
- It cannot be refilled
- Its battery cannot be recharged
- Its coil cannot be replaced.
Vapes that are permitted must be designed to allow all of the above functions.
England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland banned the sale and supply of single-use vapes from 1 June 2025 with no selling-through period.