The UK government has taken a bold step to address two spiraling public issues—vaping among youths and environmental degradation—through prohibiting the supply and sale of one-off disposable vapes starting from June 1, 2025, in England, Scotland, and Wales. Presented as a sustainability and health intervention, the legislation is an explicit demonstration of intent to mitigate the spiraling increase in young people's nicotine addiction and ease the country's growing e-waste crisis.

As the countdown to the ban continues, questions linger: Will this policy work to discourage youth vaping? Will it really reduce the nation's trash management crisis? And how ready are stakeholders—from shop owners to regulators—to implement this broad overhaul?

Disposable vapes are the nicotine delivery device of choice for young people and adolescents in the UK, where they are mainly popular due to their affordability, availability, and stylish appearance. As per government statistics, one in four children aged between 11 and 15 years old had used a vape during the last year, most of whom used disposable vapes.

Additional information by health charity ASH (Action on Smoking and Health) in 2024 revealed that approximately 18% of 11 to 17-year-olds—almost 980,000 children—had experimented with vaping, and some 390,000 reported current use. While this represents a decrease from 2023's 8% to 7% prevalence, the figure remains horrifying by comparison with 2020's 4% figure.

Disposable e-cigs, complete with candy-colored design and fruit-flavored selections, are obviously designed for use by younger generations. This has resulted in greater scrutiny, particularly in light of the possibility of long-term nicotine dependence, anxiety, headaches, and cognitive difficulties in developing brains.

How Does Vaping Affect The Environment?

While the health effects of single-use vapes have filled headlines, their ecological impact is no less alarming. UK homes throw away almost five million single-use vapes each week, many of which do not find their way into recycling. Single-use vapes are filled with lithium batteries, plastic parts, and toxic chemicals such as mercury, which poison landfills, adulterate waterways, and are a fire hazard in waste treatment plants.

A whopping 754 million disposable vapes have been wasted so far in the UK—a quantity matching the lithium required for more than 16,000 electric vehicle batteries. Circular Economy Minister Mary Creagh called them "blights on our towns and cities," stating that a ban on the products is a move toward establishing a circular economy that recycles resources and minimizes waste.

As of June 1, 2025, the sale and supply of disposable vapes will be prohibited in both bricks-and-mortar shops and online stores. The UK government has committed to strong enforcement, with bad traders facing severe consequences under the "Plan for Change." Retailers online will be held accountable too through tough takedown procedures to eliminate unauthorized sales and imports.

The act explicitly separates disposable and reusable vape products. Reusable devices need to be both refillable and rechargeable, having available replacement parts such as coils and refill pods. Customers are able to check compliant products through the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) notified products list.

Popular support for the ban is strong. Almost 70% of participants in a recent government poll supported limits on disposable vapes, with both health and environmental reasons cited. Campaigning groups like Green Alliance also welcome the move, highlighting how the ban will take strain out of local waste disposal systems and natural habitats.

But not everyone believes that the ban goes far enough. The UK Vaping Industry Association has cautioned that removing disposable vapes could push demand underground, fueling black-market activity. Opposition members also contend that the legislation fails to address the source of the issue—flavored vapes and promotional tactics appealing to children—that are still allowed for reusable devices.

How Will the Ban Impact Youth Behavior?

Among the legislation's main objectives is to safeguard young individuals from nicotine dependence through eliminating the simplest and most alluring vape products. However, whether or not the ban will work to discourage youth vaping is debatable.

University College London (UCL) research indicates that whereas overall youth vaping has increased—17% in January 2022 to 26.5% in January 2024—the use of disposables by 16 to 24-year-olds fell from 63% to 35%, which suggests a move towards reusable devices.

This change indicates that although disposables can be banned to curtail some popularity, youth consumers might easily shift to more advanced reusable equipment unless complementary steps—like plain packaging and flavor curbs—are taken. The government's soon-to-be-introduced Tobacco and Vapes Bill is an effort to address some such issues, but specifics are yet to be finalized.

It is worth noting that vaping, though not safe, is nevertheless far less dangerous than smoking combustible tobacco. Health professionals endorse e-cigarettes as a cessation aid under controlled conditions. The UK NHS even provides vapes through the "swap to stop" initiative for adult smokers who are attempting to quit.

The Department of Health and Social Care, however, maintains that vaping is not safe for non-smokers or children. In December 2023, the World Health Organization released a stark warning regarding the "alarming evidence" of vaping injury to lungs, heart, and brain, which is further favoring the preventive move by the government.

The UK's disposable vape ban is a policy milestone that acknowledges public health and environmental concerns. In making this bold move, the government is joining a growing worldwide trend to tighten regulation on vaping.

But actual progress will be a function of full implementation, continued monitoring of youth behavior, tighter marketing restrictions, and education campaigns. Disposable vapes are only part of a much bigger puzzle. Absent a wider set of guidelines, such as greater regulation of flavors, packaging, and point-of-sale availability, the effect of this prohibition could be attenuated.

For the time being, it's an important first step—one that prioritizes public interest and planetary well-being over commercial expediency. Whether or not it will be a turning point, or merely a short-term solution, only time will tell.

COVID-19 cases in India continue to rise, the numbers have now touched 3,758. Kerala, the southern-most state in India has reported the highest of the cases, leading with 1,400 cases, followed by Maharashtra with 506 cases.

On Saturday, the Union Health Ministry released a data, which registered 685 more active cases, another data was released on Sunday, which reported 360 new infections, which had been recorded within 24 hours.

Apart from that, two COVID-19 deaths were also reported during the same time, in Kerala and Karnataka. In Karnataka, a 63-year-old man who had comorbidities including pulmonary TB, squamous cell carcinoma of buccal mucosa, and was also tested positive for COVID-19, passed away. While in Kerala, a 24-year-old woman with COVID-19 and pre-existing conditions like sepsis, hypertension, and decompensated chronic liver disease (DCLD) also passed away, reported the Health Ministry.

As per the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare figures, in the last 24 hours, Kerala reported 64 new cases, Maharashtra reported 18, while Delhi reported 61 new cases.

India Impacted By COVID-19

In Delhi, a 60-year-old woman who had been tested positive with COVID-19 also passed away, as per the official. This has also marked the first death in the capital during the current wave. The woman is said to have undergone surgery for intestinal obstruction, and incidentally found out that she was also COVID-19 positive.

Gurugram too reported a spike in COVID-19 cases after two and a half years. Dr Alka Singh, who is the Civil Surgeon also urged people to not ignore flu-like symptoms. From the cases reported earlier, it has been found that people who had been suffering from flu were in fact, COVID-19 positive.

Four new Covid-19 cases were reported in Gurugram on Sunday, bringing the total during the current surge to 23, with 12 active cases. All patients have mild symptoms and are isolating at home. The health department collected 97 samples for testing the same day.

Maharashtra reported 65 new Covid-19 cases on Sunday, bringing the total since January 1 to 814. Pune accounted for 31, Mumbai 22, Thane nine, Kolhapur two, and Nagpur one. The state currently has 506 active cases, with 300 recoveries so far, according to the health department.

ALSO READ: India Records 3,395 Active COVID-19 Cases, 26 Deaths, Kerala And Maharashtra Among Worst-Hit States

In Odisha, active cases have risen to 12, all presenting mild symptoms and placed in isolation, said Nilakantha Mishra, the state’s Director of Public Health.

Andhra Pradesh’s information minister K Parthasarathi urged people to remain vigilant amid a national rise in infections, advising caution in crowded public spaces such as railway stations, bus stands, and airports.

West Bengal registered 82 new cases in the past 24 hours, taking the number of active cases in the current wave to 287. Six people were discharged after testing negative. Updated figures from the state health department are awaited.

Punjab has six active Covid-19 cases, with five reported from Ludhiana. One death has occurred. Among the infected are two children of the deceased, who are asymptomatic and in quarantine. The remaining cases include a returnee from Kerala and two individuals who had contact with travellers from high-infection states.

In view of the rising Covid-19 cases, the Karnataka government on Saturday issued an advisory urging the public to wear masks in crowded spaces, maintain physical distancing, and follow hygiene protocols.

Union minister of state for health and AYUSH, Prataprao Jadhav, assured last week that the central government is fully prepared to manage any emerging Covid-19 situation.

For the longest women's health have been ignored in medicines. While there is progress, but it still needs to go in a long way. However, whatever has been succeeded has not always been easy. But, imagine a life without options, with a Plan B? Thanks to Étienne-Émile Baulieu, the French scientist who passed away at the age of 98 in his home in Paris for developing the abortion pill.

Renowned for his groundbreaking work on steroid hormones, Baulieu dedicated his career to advancing scientific knowledge and championing individual freedom. His institute remembered him as someone whose work was shaped by a deep commitment to progress, human dignity, and better living.

Who Was This Scientist?

Born Étienne Blum in Strasbourg on December 12, 1926, Baulieu changed his name when he joined the French Resistance at the age of 15 during the Nazi occupation. This early experience shaped his lifelong values of liberty and courage. After completing medical and science doctorates, he began pioneering research in endocrinology and hormonal medicine.

An Invention That Changed Lives Of Millions

In 1982, Baulieu developed RU-486—commonly known as mifepristone or the abortion pill. The drug offered a non-invasive, medically safe alternative to surgical abortion. It was a turning point in reproductive healthcare, providing millions of women worldwide with a private and less traumatic method of ending a pregnancy.

Despite its significance, the pill attracted controversy. Baulieu faced severe backlash, including threats from anti-abortion groups. Even today, access to the medication is restricted or banned in certain countries. Yet, it remains one of the most widely used abortion methods, especially in places where surgical access is limited.

The Impact, The Challenges

Since its development, mifepristone has been approved in over 100 countries. The World Health Organization included it on its list of essential medicines in 2010. Still, its availability remains a battleground, particularly in the United States, where recent legal rulings have challenged access to abortion pills.

Baulieu continued to defend his work until the end, noting in a 2023 interview that restricting access to the drug undermines decades of progress toward gender equality and freedom.

His research extended into the fields of aging and mental health. His work on the hormone DHEA led to significant findings about neurosteroids, and he pursued treatments for Alzheimer’s and depression. In 2008, he founded the Institut Baulieu to focus on preventing and understanding neurodegenerative diseases.

He received France’s highest honors, including the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour and leadership roles in the Academy of Sciences. Leaders including French President Emmanuel Macron praised him as a visionary who changed the world. Macron wrote, “Few French people have changed the world to such an extent,” calling Baulieu a “beacon of courage.”

Baulieu is survived by his wife, three children, eight grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren. His work—especially the invention of the abortion pill—remains a powerful symbol of science serving humanity.

The debate over adding fluoride to public drinking water is gaining intensity in the United States. Formerly thought of as a great public health success, water fluoridation is being increasingly challenged by intensified concerns and legislative prohibitions in a few states. New evidence, however, published in JAMA Health Forum cautions that dis-fluoridation of community water systems could carry a high price tag — for children's oral health as well as the country's health care system.

Fluoride, a naturally occurring mineral in some foods and groundwater, is referred to as "nature's cavity fighter." Fluoride hardens tooth enamel, the hard, outer layer of the teeth, making them more resistant to the acids formed by bacteria in the mouth that lead to tooth decay. Tooth decay, or dental caries, is still one of the most prevalent chronic illnesses in children and teenagers in the US, impacting millions.

Fluoride was first added to public water in the US in 1945 and has been recognized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as being among the 10 greatest public health successes of the 20th century. Fluoridated water gives both systemic and topical protection, the kind that makes teeth more resistant to decay before they even come up through the gums and protects enamel throughout life.

Researchers Dr. Lisa Simon of Brigham and Women's Hospital and Dr. Sung Eun Choi of Harvard School of Dental Medicine recently examined national oral health data to simulate the effect of fluoride removal from US public water supplies. The results are sobering.

They calculate that eliminating fluoride would cause 25.4 million more decayed teeth among children and teens just in five years, while health care expenses would balloon to $9.8 billion. In a decade, those numbers could almost double to 54 million extra decayed teeth and $19.4 billion in dental care costs.

To give it some perspective, the study estimates one additional rotten tooth per three children in the US — a public health regression that's astounding.

Not all populations would share the burden equally. Dr. Simon points to disparities, pointing out that children from poorer backgrounds and from disadvantaged communities would increasingly depend on fluoridated water to help prevent cavities because they have limited access to dental services. Stripping fluoride away would exacerbate oral health gaps.

Currently, approximately two-thirds of the US population is getting fluoridated water, with nearly 40% of children being exposed to optimal levels of fluoride to prevent tooth decay very effectively. Only nearly 1.5% of children have fluoride levels high enough to endanger fluorosis — a cosmetic dental condition that results in mild discoloration of the teeth.

The Canadian city of Calgary provides a cautionary tale. In 2011, Calgary's city government took fluoride out of its public water system amid public outcry. Within a decade, dental health officials noticed a notable increase in cavities in children, leading to the city reinstating water fluoridation in 2021.

This example provides the real-world illustration backing the new study's projections.

How Fluoride Protects Tooth Decay?

Cavities result when bacteria in the mouth infect sugars and release acid that destroys tooth enamel. Fluoride acts by incorporating itself into the structure of the enamel, making the enamel resistant to acid attack and able to repair early damage caused by decay.

In infants, fluoride is important even before the eruption of teeth. It gives a systemic effect by making developing teeth in the gums harder by ingestion of fluoride-rich water and food. For adults and older children, fluoride's local action—via toothpaste, mouth rinses, and water—preserves enamel resistance.

The US Department of Health and Human Services now recommends that fluoride in public water be adjusted to 0.7 milligrams per liter, a scientifically proven level to achieve the optimal balance of cavity prevention with minimal fluorosis risk.

Fluoridation is similar to other public health interventions like the addition of iodine to salt or vitamin D to milk, which are intended to avoid widespread deficiencies of nutrients and improve population health.

Yet, political and public opinion changes have prompted legislative measures in certain states such as Utah and Florida prohibiting water fluoridation. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced in April 2024 that he would recommend that the CDC discontinue the recommendation of fluoride in public water, which further heated the current debate.

What Are The Alternatives Available?

Although fears regarding the safety of fluoride have continued in some quarters, the dental and medical communities' consensus is clear: that water fluoridation at recommended concentrations is safe and beneficial. The danger of fluorosis, usually mild and superficial, is small and commonly outweighed by the advantages of prevention of cavities.

For families concerned about dental health without fluoridated water, alternatives include fluoride toothpaste, professional fluoride treatments at the dentist, and fluoride-containing mouth rinses—though these depend on access to dental care and adherence to proper use.

Children under six should not use fluoride mouthwash without dental supervision due to the risk of swallowing.

The economic consequences of rising cavities from fluoride loss are substantial. Treatment expenses for untreated cavities—fillings, root canals, and extractions—can be burdensome on families and health care systems. Untreated dental disease also has an adverse impact on children's quality of life, resulting in pain, infection, eating difficulties, and lost school days.

The projected $9.8 billion in additional dental care costs within five years, escalating to nearly $20 billion over a decade, represents a substantial burden on families, insurance providers, and public health programs.

The fluoride in water debate captures wider public health policy challenges where scientific truth converges with public opinion and politics. As some places consider banning fluoridation, the new study serves as a reminder of the possible unintended effects.

For now, fluoride remains a cornerstone of dental public health in the US and many countries worldwide. Continuing public education on its benefits, addressing misinformation, and ensuring equitable access to dental care remain critical components in safeguarding children’s oral health.

Fluoride's removal from public drinking water may spark a dental emergency for an estimated million American children, resulting in additional cavities and increased health care expenditures. The data from this new study, along with the real-life experience of Calgary, confirms fluoride's central part in preventing tooth decay.