Vapes

Is vaping harmful to your health and to the environment? I'm back with a new series of Sliced Bread and I'm kicking off with a topic many of you have suggested - vapes. They've become controversial largely because of the rise in single-use, or disposable, vapes. Nearly eight million are sold in the UK each week, a figure that's doubled in the past year. And according to the organisation Material Focus, which campaigns to increase recyling rates, five million of those are thrown away. Listener John has spotted them lying around on the pavement and is worried about their effect on the environment. I'm joined by Scott Butler from Material Focus who takes apart a disposable vape and shows me just what's inside and explains why they're harmful to the planet and what can be done to improve recycling. I'm also investigating the reason vapes were introduced in the first place over a decade ago - as a smoking cessation aid. Listener Sam wants to know if they really do help you stop smoking or whether the convenience of disposable vapes means they just prolong or even worsen the addiction? I speak to Professor Anne McNeill, co-author of a landmark review into the health impact of vapes and their effectiveness when it comes to helping people stop smoking compared to previous treatments like nicotine patches or gum. Presenter: Greg Foot

Producer: Simon Hoban