Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said today that the government will prohibit disposable vapes, limit the types of e-liquid available, enforce "plain packaging" guidelines, and control how goods may be arranged in retail establishments. In addition, the government intends to include nicotine-free vaporizers into its vaping guidelines.
"As Prime Minister, it is my duty to act in the long-term best interests of our nation," Sunak said in a news statement. For this reason, I'm taking decisive action to outlaw disposable vaporizers, which are mostly to blame for the growth in teen vaping. I'm also proposing new regulations to limit the flavors of vaporizers, implement plain packaging, and alter how vaporizers are shown in stores.
A study by experts from University College London, sponsored by Cancer Research UK, revealed last week that a ban on disposable vape pens would impact 2.6 million individuals and “may have substantial unintended consequences for individuals who smoke.” Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), the main anti-smoking group in Britain, is also against a ban on disposables.
Businesses and consumers may already voice their objections to the planned moves by contacting their Members of Parliament, since they will be included into new legislation that must be approved by the UK Parliament. Wales and Scotland will also propose laws outlawing single-use vaporizers.
After voting on the smoke free generation proposal, the government intends to present a separate measure with the limits on vaping products. This bill will be subject to further consultations.
It is also said that the government plans to tax vaping items for the first time. According to press sources, the government's budget will be unveiled on March 6 and the vape tax will be included. Taxes on vaping goods, according to research, boost sales of cigarettes.
The policy revisions were put out in reaction to the rise in teenage vaping, which the anti-vaping community has attributed to disposable goods and flavors that have been well-liked for more than ten years by adult vapers. According to news sources, tastes other than tobacco, menthol, mint, and "fruit" may be outlawed by the government.
The administration of Sunak has embraced the terminology of tobacco control groups who advocate for ban, claiming issues with tastes and packaging that are deemed "appealing" to minors.
"It is imperative to acknowledge that adult vaporizers prefer fruit, dessert, and candy flavors over other flavors, with over half of them selecting them," the consumer advocacy organization New Nicotine Alliance (NNA) said in a statement in reaction to the government declaration. "Removing these flavors will make vapes less appealing to smokers who are thinking about switching, and requiring plain packaging will reinforce the widely held misconception that vaping is just as harmful as smoking."
