UK vaping industry proposes regulatory changes ahead of government review

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The UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA) has made a series of recommendations to government, aimed at maximising the public health benefits of vaping and bolstering ambitions for a ‘Smokefree 2030’.

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The UK’s Tobacco and Related Products Regulations are currently being reviewed, with a crucial consultation due to close on 19 March. The resulting decisions made by the government are set to shape public health and smoking cessation policy for years to come.

UKVIA’s document, A Blueprint for Better Regulation, urges government to use its post-Brexit independence to become a world leader in harm reduction.

Its recommendations, developed by the sector’s leading businesses, aim to help adult smokers quit, while increasing vaping’s economic contribution, and even addresses environmental concerns.

The UKVIA Blueprint calls for:

  • the use of government-approved, expert health claims on products, to encourage smokers to switch;
  • greater opportunities to engage with smokers, as current restrictions also deter those who may otherwise make the switch;
  • the extension of certain regulations to cover additional vaping products, such as non-nicotine e-liquids, thereby supporting a highly responsible industry;
  • product size changes which reduce prevalence of single-use plastic.

John Dunne, director general of the UKVIA, said: “The recommendations published today are the result of intense collaboration among vaping’s leading experts and entrepreneurs. This is truly a landmark moment in the history of our industry, which has grown to be a genuine market disrupter, and a route out of smoking for people all over the world. With the adoption of these recommendations, the UK could take its place as a progressive, global leader on public health.

“The government has claimed that post-Brexit regulatory independence will mean a new, and better, way of doing things. Now is the time for this pledge to become a reality. By embracing this evidence-based approach, we can empower consumers, revitalise businesses, and put the ‘Smokefree 2030’ ambition within our grasp.”