A motion asking the Leader of the Council to write to the Health secretary requesting the banning of single-use vapes passed on Wednesday.
Disposable vapes are not only very harmful to the environment, with 1.3 million of them thrown away each week in the UK, but there are worries they appear to be increasingly marketed towards children.
Sue Alston, the Liberal Democrat councillor for Fulwood who started the motion, said: “The single use vapes are a major concern for the environment. They are a disaster: these things can’t be recycled.
“People litter them. They can cause fires if they get put in the general waste – when friction is put on them they can set on fire.”
According to a recent survey conducted by ASH, an anti-smoking organisation, more than 20% of children between 11-17 have tried vaping.
They also reported that 40% of those who tried vaping had never smoked before.
Cllr Alston said: “It’s really quite worrying, the numbers of very young people or children [who vape]. It’s clear from the marketing what the manufacturers intend.
“If you’re marketing something as candy floss flavour, you’re not marketing it to 40-year-old smokers who are wanting to give up.”
Single-use vapes are relatively inexpensive, costing around £6, and are widely available in supermarkets, corner shops and petrol stations.
Josie Lee, 21, a Sheffield student who uses disposable vapes, said: “I think kids are vulnerable and won’t understand the full consequences.
“I know there’s an age limit but I don’t think people are ID’ing (sic) properly for them. I’ve seen a lot of kids buying vapes who are obviously underage and, especially in the smaller corner shops, they always get sold them.”
Miss Lee, who works part-time in a bar, began vaping after realising that it would give her a break each hour from a job that can be tough and demanding.
When asked if single-use vapes should be banned, she said: “Yeah. I know that’s controversial coming from someone who does vape, but I just think they’re really dangerous.
“I would love to stop and I can’t. I wish I’d never started it.”
The government are currently discussing bans on the sale of disposable vapes, with these likely to come into law in the new year.
Totally Wicked, one of the UK’s most popular vape companies, who have a shop in Sheffield and sell disposable vapes such as Elf Bars and Lost Mary vapes, were approached to comment but refused.
