A senior MP and public health doctor has issued an urgent call to ban so-called 'monster vape' kits from the UK market, warning they contain the equivalent nicotine of over 8,000 cigarettes.
Exploiting a Legal Loophole
Dr Beccy Cooper, the Labour MP for Worthing West, is demanding that the government's Tobacco & Vapes Bill close a regulatory loophole. This gap is being exploited to sell reusable vape packages that boast up to 100,000 puffs. Dr Cooper argues these products, which come in flavours like watermelon ice and fizzy cherry cola, fundamentally undermine last year's ban on disposable vapes and existing limits on tank size.
"Devices marketed as delivering tens of thousands of puffs raise serious public health concerns and should not be available on the UK market," Dr Cooper told The Mirror. She emphasised that exploiting these gaps in regulation is unacceptable and that the new legislation must be used to stop it.
The Rise of Mega-Puff Devices
The popularity of these high-capacity kits has surged following the government's decision to outlaw single-use vapes in June 2025. Campaigners note that manufacturers appear to be skirting the 2ml nicotine liquid limit per tank by creating devices with multiple 2ml tanks in a single unit, which users can switch between.
Data reveals the scale of the issue. Even before the disposable ban, mega-puff devices accounted for up to a quarter of the market, with sales reaching three million per week. Furthermore, a report last week from Better Retailing showed a 17% rise in value sales for devices claiming over 600 puffs between June and October 2025.
Environmental and Health Consequences
The environmental charity Material Focus has long warned that these 'big puff' vapes create a persistent problem. They are cheaper per puff than old disposables, which campaigners say discourages proper reuse. People often simply buy new ones when a tank is empty, defeating the environmental purpose of the disposable ban, which aimed to stop toxic battery litter and waste of critical minerals.
While vaping is recognised as a less harmful alternative for adults quitting smoking, the long-term health effects remain unknown. Health experts consistently advise that non-smokers and children should never start vaping. The Tobacco and Vapes Bill, currently progressing through the House of Lords, will also enact a historic measure to ban anyone born on or after 1 January 2009 from ever buying cigarettes.
Dr Cooper concluded: "Vapes can play a role in helping adults to quit smoking, but ultra-high-puff products undermine our efforts to make Britain genuinely smoke-free." The call highlights the ongoing challenge regulators face in keeping pace with an evolving industry.
