In this article...
- Vaping in 2025: Navigating bans, bills, and a new tax.
- Media scare stories versus the actual facts.
- Smarter, reusable kits replace single-use vapes.
- Intense new flavours for a post-disposable world.
On the surface, it's been a tough six months for vaping. The long-threatened disposable ban finally landed, a new tax was officially put on the calendar for next year, and the Tobacco and Vapes Bill still lingers in the halls of Parliament. Add to that the usual barrage of questionable headlines, and it would be easy to think it’s all doom and gloom.
But that’s only half the story. Look a little closer, and you’ll see a year that's also been defined by clever comebacks: smarter kits hitting the shelves, incredible new flavours designed for modern vapers, and a huge shift towards reusable devices. This article is about both sides of that coin – a look back at the key moments of 2025 so far.
Vaping Regulations in 2025
The Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which started life under the Tories last year, has been dutifully carried on by the new government[i]. It's spent most of 2025 being kicked around the House of Commons and the House of Lords, where they're busy tweaking the details. Not that much has changed, mind you. The government still wants the power to ban any flavour that looks too interesting and ensure every kit is sold in packaging so bland it makes a brick look exciting.
On top of that, they’ve managed to push through a new tax on e-liquids[ii]. So while the government wants people to quit smoking, it’s also making the most effective alternative more expensive. You couldn’t make it up.
And then there was the big one: the disposable ban[iii]. We all knew it was coming after the announcement last year, but watching the calendar tick over to June 1st felt final. Just like that, the era of single-use vaping was officially over.
My Favourite Media Vape Scare Story of 2025 (So Far)
Every now and then, you read a headline that makes you stop and just think… ‘Really?’ I had one of those moments with a Daily Mail piece earlier this year[iv]. This one was a classic of the genre:
"Vaping ‘more dangerous than smoking’, bombshell first-of-its-kind study reveals – it raises risk of THREE deadly diseases"
Now, to be clear, the Daily Mail didn’t just invent this. They were reporting on claims made by university researchers. But what they failed to do was their basic job as journalists – investigate. Instead of asking critical questions about the unpublished research, they simply cherry-picked the most alarming claims and printed them as fact.
Thankfully, someone else did the journalist’s job for them. Public Health Analyst Clive Bates came along and broke down just how bonkers the whole thing was[v]. He didn’t pull any punches either; in a public letter to the researcher, he summed up the fundamental flaw perfectly:
“Extraordinary claims demand extraordinary evidence, but you have not provided any evidence.”
It turns out the big scary story was built on a foundation of nonsense. The main issues were pretty simple:
There was no actual study: The ‘bombshell’ research hadn’t been published or even checked by other scientists. The researchers just went straight to the press.
The ‘science’ was shaky at best: The ‘deadly risk’ they claimed to have found was just the normal, temporary effect of a stimulant.
They ignored the obvious: The article didn’t seem to consider that most of the vapers in the study were ex-smokers, and their health issues might just be the leftover damage from years of smoking.
It's a perfect playbook for how to create a health scare out of thin air. All the researchers have to do is make a wild claim, and the media will do the rest - ignoring context, skipping the investigation, and going straight for a terrifying headline.
Upbeat Articles So Far This Year
First, we took a brave and slightly painful look back at our worst-ever e-liquid flavours. It was a journey through our flavour graveyard. We remembered some savoury experiments that, perhaps thankfully, never made it to the shelves. We even did some soul-searching about concepts like Pigs in Blankets and a full-on Herbal Range. Ultimately, we decided it was for the best to stick to what we know. It served as a good reminder that not every idea is a winner and gave us all a good laugh.
From the worst to the best, we also rolled out the red carpet for the Totally Wicked Oscars. It was our chance to celebrate the vape kits and liquids that people actually love. We gave out awards for everything, from ‘Best Pod Kit’ to a ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ for a timeless flavour. It was a bit of fun to focus on the stuff that really works.
On a more practical note, festival season is now in full swing. We’ve put together a survival guide for vaping at festivals. It's packed with essential tips. We cover how to keep your kit charged in a field. We also suggest which vapes are tough enough to survive a weekend in a tent. Finally, you’ll get a heads-up on the official rules for the UK's biggest events.
On that note of keeping everyone informed, I'm also currently revising our essential guide to vaping in public places here in the UK. With so much changing, it's important to know the current rules for vaping in pubs, on public transport, and around places like hospitals. I’ll have that updated and out next week to make sure everyone’s in the know.
Life After the Disposable Vape Ban
For the thousands of people who used disposables to quit smoking, the ban on June 1st likely brought a wave of uncertainty. The big question on everyone’s lips was pretty simple: ‘What now?’
Finding a replacement isn’t just about picking up any old vape kit. It’s about matching the intense flavour and simple convenience that made single-use devices so effective for so many in the first place. Keeping people informed about the rules is one thing, but that’s only half the battle. The other, arguably more important half, is making sure the right alternatives are on the table.
Thankfully, the industry and Totally Wicked saw this coming. Here’s a look at the vape kits and vape flavours that are defining life after the ban.
Disposable vape alternatives
The moment the ban hit on June 1st, the big question was what would replace the single-use vapes. The answer came pretty quickly from the major players like Elfbar, SKE, and Lost Mary. They released new versions of their famous disposables that were now rechargeable and use replaceable pre-filled pods. This means vapers can keep the device and just switch out the pods – a much smarter way to do things.
New vape kits for 2025
We saw this shift happening, too. For years, vaping was all about replacing coils, but many people now prefer the simplicity of pods with built-in coils. With that in mind, we launched two brand new pod kits at the start of the year, the Mavro and the Aeromax, designed to give that tailored experience with adjustable settings, but with the ease of a modern pod system. The ban also meant we had to redesign our popular re:fuel kit. The new VLTZ re:fuel 2 is slimmer, more pen-shaped, and more importantly, has a replaceable pod system.
New e-liquids and e-liquid flavours for 2025
Of course, new kits need the right liquid. We tackled that head-on in March with our VLTZ Ultra range – ten extreme flavours designed to be an exact match for the intensity people loved in disposables. From Blue Razz Lemonade to Rainbow Burst, it gave people a way to get those strong flavours in any vape kit, and at higher nicotine strengths if they needed them.
It wasn’t just about creating brand new ranges, either. Our classic Red Label line-up continued to grow, with Blackcurrant Squash and Iced Peach joining the family to bring the total to a massive 60 flavours. At the same time, the VLTZ Flex pre-filled pods got two new fan-favourite options with Strawberry Raspberry Cherry Ice and Kiwi Passionfruit Guava.
Launching Totally Wicked nicotine pouches
And because the goal is always to help people quit cigarettes by any means necessary, we also expanded our options beyond vaping itself by launching our own Totally Wicked Nicotine Pouches in three strengths. It's all about making sure there’s a good, viable alternative for anyone looking to make a change.
What’s next for Vaping and Totally Wicked in 2025?
Here we are, halfway through 2025. The disposable ban is in full swing, and for the rest of the year, all eyes will be on the Tobacco and Vapes Bill as it likely lands for Royal Assent. What new rules that will bring for things like flavours and advertising is anyone’s guess right now, but we’ll be watching it closely.
But while the politician's figure that out, we’ll be focused on what we can control: making sure vapers have the best possible options. We’ve got plenty more in the pipeline for the second half of the year, with new devices and exciting e-liquid flavours already in the works.
The landscape has definitely changed in the last six months, but one thing hasn’t: there are better, reliable alternatives to smoking than ever before. The world of vaping is still very much alive and kicking.
References
[i] Tobacco and Vapes Bill – Parliamentary Bills – UK Parliament
[ii] Vaping tax and tobacco duty rises set out in Rachel Reeves’ Budget – BBC News
[iii] Single-use vapes ban: what businesses need to do – GOV.UK
[iv] Vaping ‘more dangerous than smoking’, bombshell first-of-its-kind study reveals
[v] Irresponsible publicity related to an unpublished vaping study
