In this article...
- Have Your Say on a Potential Vape Flavour Ban and More
- What is the Purpose of the Government Consultation?
- The Three Main Topics of the Government's Consultation
- What You Say about Flavoured Vapes and Your Quit Smoking Journey
- Who Can Get Involved With the Public Consultation?
- Can I Have my Say in the Government Consultation on Smoking and Vaping Restrictions?
- What Does the IBVTA Say About the Consultation?
- Make Sure your Opinions are Considered
Have Your Say on a Potential Vape Flavour Ban and More
The UK Government has announced its next steps in creating a "smokefree generation and tackling youth vaping".[i] What's potentially quite worrying is that the public consultation also includes talks around banning popular sweet flavoured and fruit flavoured vapes. This is despite studies[ii] showing that fruit and sweet flavoured e-liquids can help adults quit smoking.
So, news that these vape flavours could be banned is very worrying indeed!
However, the Government Consultation is your chance to have your say on what banning vape flavours could mean for your quit smoking journey. You'll also have the opportunity to give your views on other potential restrictions to do with vaping and smoking.
What is the Purpose of the Government Consultation?
There are many elements to this consultation. Considerations include a gradual phase out of smoking, a ban on certain vape flavours, and restrictions on the sale of disposable vapes.
This consultation will discuss youth vaping specifically and will include proposals such as:
- Restricting vape flavours
- Regulating point of sale displays
- Regulating packaging design
- Restriction of the supply and sale of disposable vapes specifically
- Discussions around extending regulations and restrictions for nicotine free vapes
- Controlling vape prices
It's so important that not only members of the Government discuss these matters, but that the public, and anyone with first-hand knowledge of vaping and the industry can influence these impactful decisions too. The decisions made at the end of this consultation could impact ex-smokers who have, or will in future be using vapes to keep of the cigarettes, and also health care providers who assist their service users in this way.
The Three Main Topics of the Government's Consultation
Ultimately, the Government’s public consultation will decide what policies and legislation will be introduced regarding smoking and the prevention of youth vaping. Within the consultation, the Government highlights three main areas it wishes to be discussed:
- Creating a smokefree generation - increasing the legal age of smoking each year to totally phase out smoking. There will be in-depth discussions about the feasibility and implementation of this policy.
- Youth vaping: what steps will have the most impact to eradicate underage vaping?
- Enforcement: what new powers will be introduced to allow local authorities in England and Wales to issue fixed penalty notices to ensure the implementation of sales legislation of tobacco products and vapes?
What You Say about Flavoured Vapes and Your Quit Smoking Journey
We conducted our own research regarding vape flavours and how they 've helped you to stop smoking. When we asked how e-liquid flavours helped you quit smoking for good, a whopping 82.7% said that flavours were a key factor in aiding their quit smoking journey. A further 10.6% noted that it was a contributing factor in helping them quit. Only 6.7% said that vape flavour was not one of the main factors.*
These results show quite clearly that the majority of respondents found that vape flavours were a major contributor to them stopping smoking and staying away from cigarettes for good.
Who Can Get Involved With the Public Consultation?
There's a wide range of people who are invited to give their opinions on the three main topics.
According to the statement published on the Government website, the groups and individuals they wish to hear from include:
- the public – including young people, parents, carers and teachers
- the retail sector and the independent vaping industry
- local authorities across the UK
- clinicians and medical professionals
- public health stakeholders and academic experts
- employers and trade unions
Can I Have my Say in the Government Consultation on Smoking and Vaping Restrictions?
Yes, you can, and if you have a view on the topics being discussed and the possibility of restrictions, you absolutely should.
The consultation poses a series of questions for you to answer. These questions are presented with multiple choice answers and an opportunity to give reasons for your answers. The questions regarding vaping focus very much on flavours and include questions like,
"Do you agree or disagree that the UK Government and devolved administrations should restrict vape flavours?"
And
"Do you think non-nicotine e-liquid, for example shortfills, should also be included in restrictions on vape flavours?"
The questionnaire goes on to ask about package design and imagery, the price of vapes, and whether or not disposable vapes should be restricted specifically.
To have your say on the smoking and vaping Government consultation, complete their online response form.
What Does the IBVTA Say About the Consultation?
The Independent British Vape Trade Association (IBVTA) is one of the many organisations that will be ensuring their members' opinions are heard in the public consultation. The IBVTA has issued a statement regarding the consultation[iii], and "has welcomed the opportunity to help shape the future of the industry".
The IBVTA also provided several media outlets with their views. Speaking to ITV's This Morning[iv], the IBVTA reiterated how vaping is an extremely effective tool for adult smokers who want to quit. They went on to emphasise that no vape retailer should be selling vapes to anyone under the age of 18.
However, in further statements, the IBVTA also highlights the risk that certain restrictions may prevent access to a "vital smoking cessation product", and that "simply enforcing existing rules might be just as impactful"[v].
Our CEO and IBVTA Chair, Marcus Saxton, emphasised the importance of single-use and vape flavours in helping smokers quit:
"...The role that single use products have played to enable many more adult smokers access vaping as a materially safer substitute to combustible cigarettes...Is really important and flavours play a critical role to enable those smokers to transition across to a vaping product, and get furthest away from a tobacco, or previously, menthol cigarette, that they would have been addicted to."
The IBVTA also provided ITV's This Morning with a statement that reiterated how vaping is an extremely effective tool for adult smokers who want to quit. They also emphasised that no vape retailer should be selling vapes to anyone under the age of 18.
Make Sure your Opinions are Considered
Ensure your views are documented, especially if any potential changes in vaping legislation will affect your quit smoking journey. Complete the public consultation response form to make your views known.
References
[i] https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/creating-a-smokefree-generation-and-tackling-youth-vaping/creating-a-smokefree-generation-and-tackling-youth-vaping-your-views
[ii] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33631007/
[iii] https://www.ibvta.org.uk/media-centre/ibvta-welcomes-government-consultation-on-future-of-industry/
[iv] https://www.itv.com/thismorning/articles/12-year-old-warns-against-vaping-after-addiction-left-her-in-coma
[v] https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-12622623/Health-Secretary-Steve-Barclay-says-vaping-wrong-kids-officials-consider-hiding-e-cigs-counters-plain-packaging-deter-children.html
*Results based on an X (formerly Twitter) survey conducted between 19th and 20th October with 104 respondents.
