Vaping will play a pivotal role in the years to come.
| In this article… | Crackdown on smoking The importance of vaping in the years to come Tackling the illegal vape black market |
At the annual Conservative Party conference held in Manchester, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced plans to tackle the prevalence of smoking in the UK. With stricter limits on tobacco products, vaping has never been more important as a transitional tool for adult smokers. Aside from Sunak’s speech on tobacco, the government announced plans to crack down on the illegal importation of non TRPR compliant vapes.
Crackdown on smoking
In Sunak’s speech on tobacco, he said:
“We must tackle the single biggest, entirely preventable cause of ill-health, disability and death. And that is smoking”.
Tobacco use causes 64,000 deaths per year and leaves thousands suffering due to smoking related illness. We have come a long way in the last 50 years, with the number of smokers reducing by two thirds since 1970. But the government have plans to take this further, striving towards the ‘smoke free 2030‘ goal.
If Rishi’s outlined plans are actioned, the smoking age will rise by one year annually. This means that children who are 14 or under now will never be able to legally purchase cigarettes. 4 out of 5 smokers begin the habit before age 20, so this proposed law should heavily impact smoking rates.
The importance of vaping in the years to come
With so much emphasis on reducing smoking rates, vaping has a huge role to play in the near future. It’s a recognised stop smoking tool by the government and health bodies such as Cancer Research UK and the National Health Service. In fact, the NHS highlight on their website:
“You’re roughly twice as likely to quit smoking if you use a nicotine vape compared with other nicotine replacement products, like patches or gum”.
In a statement posted on the government website, they announced a consultation to look at:
- Restricting the flavours and descriptions of vapes so that vape flavours are no longer targeted at children.
- Regulating point of sale displays in retail outlets so that vapes are kept out of sight from children and away from products that appeal to them.
- Regulating vape packaging and product presentation, ensuring that neither the device nor its packaging is targeted to children.
- Restricting the sale of disposable vapes, which are clearly linked to the rise in vaping in children.
Also, an IBVTA survey revealed that 46% of regular smokers and 37% of ex-smokers have tried or used vaping to help them quit smoking.
In order to help promote vaping and dispel some misinformation surrounding it, the IBVTA has launched a campaign to help demystify vaping.
 The IBVTA Has Launched A Campaign To Demystify Vaping |
Tackling the illegal vape black market
In order for an e-cig to be legally sold in the UK, the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations dictate what is allowed. It states:
- Tanks can’t contain more than 2ml of liquid.
- Nicotine levels can’t be higher than 2% (20mg).
- Products have to be registered with the MHRA.
- Bottles containing nicotine liquid can’t be larger than 10ml.
Despite these laws, there’s a huge black market within the UK, especially for disposables. Trading Standards revealed that around a third of the market are actually illegal to sell in the UK. Single use kits can be found in countless shops with 10ml tanks (3500 puffs) and nicotine strengths as high as 5% (50mg). An extra £30 million will be provided to strengthen enforcement and boarder checks. With a better funded Trading Standards and these devices being harder to import, their availability should be greatly reduced.
In conclusion,Sunak’s speech on tobacco shows a positive future for vaping as an adult stop smoking tool. With tobacco products becoming less available, its role will be crucial in the years to come.
