"In Great Britain, two disposable vapes are thrown away every second. It's a blatant market, it's booming among young people in particular," says YouTuber Alicia Joe in the 369th edition of the podcast "important today". She clarifies the environmental pollution that threatens if the single-use variant becomes more widespread.

"Rare earths are built into the batteries, they are very difficult to mine, with a lot of toxic waste, radioactivity, very bad for the environment. That's why it's not cool to throw away batteries, you should use them for as long as possible. Now it's in every single-use vape also has a battery in it." Depending on the manufacturer, you can take around 500 to 800 puffs with a disposable cigarette, after which the device ends up in the garbage can.

This is big business for influencers, because the potential target group is 12 million smokers in Germany and then many young people who are lured with great tastes.

Sure, opinionated, on the 12: "today important" is not just a news podcast. We set topics and initiate debates - with attitude and sometimes uncomfortable. Host Michel Abdollahi and his team of stern and RTL reporters speak to the most exciting people from politics, society and entertainment. They let all voices have their say, both the quiet and the loud. Anyone who hears "important today" starts the day well informed and can have a well-founded say.

Speaking to "Today's Important" host Michel Abdollahi, Alicia Joe said: "The big problem is that all these disposable vapes, they're not disposable vapes at all, you could theoretically charge them, each one has a battery built in, just that no recharging option and you can't refill it either. In principle, it's a complete technical device every time you throw it away."

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