California is preparing to ban the sale of single-use electronic cigarettes in order to combat plastic pollution. In recent years, laws have been passed in the state prohibiting single-use plastic bottles in hotels, the sale of food containers made from polystyrene, and single-use plastic bags in grocery stores.
Electronic cigarettes, also known as "vapes," devices that run on batteries, containing nicotine or cannabinoids in the form of aerosols, often contain added flavorings and other chemical substances. They are sold both as reusable and single-use, and the proposed law in California is aimed specifically at the latter.
A number of other states also consider banning the sale of single-use electronic cigarettes or have already implemented it. For example, the ban went into effect in Belgium on January 1, and it is planned that in the UK it will begin to take effect in June. However, California is likely to become the first American state to adopt such a law, following previous attempts in it and in New York which failed.
The proposed law prohibits the sale or distribution of single-use electronic cigarettes starting January 1, 2026. The proposal also allows local or state regulators to impose fines of $500 for the first violation, $1,000 for the second, and an additional $1,000 for each subsequent violation.
