Eliquid Flavour Ban For Britain?

Unseen forces are pushing for vaping restrictions to be extended in the UK under the guise of protecting children from tobacco addiction

by Dave Cross
Aug 17, 2021

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Unseen forces are pushing for vaping restrictions to be extended in the UK under the guise of protecting children from tobacco addiction. Two major newspapers have carried stories indicating that lobbying has taken place. The New Nicotine Alliance (NNA) has written to the Special Adviser to the Secretary of State Department of Health and Social Care about the matter.

On one hand, while proposals to restrict tobacco purchases to adults over the age of 21 might not find too many detractors in vaping circles, many will be up in arms over the proposal to limit e-liquid flavours.

“The Government is considering taking action after figures showed the number of people lighting up increased over lockdown. Flavoured e-cigarettes could also be banned as part of the shake-up, amid fears they particularly appeal to young people,” wrote a journalist at the Metro. (1)

“Vaping flavours such as mint and strawberry are also thought to particularly appeal to young people and may help get them hooked on nicotine,” the article continued. “A source close to Mr Javid did not deny that the two ideas were being looked at but stressed nothing has been decided”.

The Mirror’s piece (2) spoke about “insiders” who are working on the proposals. At least they managed to carry a dose of common sense from Mary Foy MP, who is quoted as saying: “The evidence is not conclusive that vaping leads young people to start smoking and it is mostly confined to those who already smoke. Vaping might not be 100% safe but it is 95% less harmful than burning tobacco and v effective in helping smokers to quit.”

Film maker Aaron Biebert talks about flavoured nicotine products

The NNA (3) has raised the matter with Adam Memon, the newly appointed Special Adviser to the Secretary of State for Health.

The New Nicotine Alliance is a charity representing all consumers of low-risk alternatives to cigarettes such as vaping products, nicotine pouches, smokeless and heated tobacco products.

“As consumers,” they say, “we have a direct interest in the regulation of these products and the personal and public health consequences of policy choices made by the government. We have no ties to any of the industries involved.”

In the letter, the NNA lays out clear and sensible plans for “levelling up and capitalising on Brexit” by detailing the evidence about vaping and making workable policy proposals.

This letter follows on from two others sent to the Department of Health and Social Care on 29 October 2020 and 19 May 2021.

References:

Under 21s may be banned from buying cigarettes in plan to make UK smoke-free by 2030 - https://metro.co.uk/2021/08/06/under-21s-may-be-banned-from-buying-cigarettes-in-plan-to-make-uk-smoke-free-15050371/
Raising legal age for buying cigarettes to 21 being looked at by UK health officials - https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/flavoured-e-cigarettes-could-banned-24685006.amp
The New Nicotine Alliance - https://nnalliance.org/

Dave Cross

Journalist at POTV

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Dave is a freelance writer; with articles on music, motorbikes, football, pop-science, vaping and tobacco harm reduction in Sounds, Melody Maker, UBG, AWoL, Bike, When Saturday Comes, Vape News Magazine, and syndicated across the Johnston Press group. He was published in an anthology of “Greatest Football Writing”, but still believes this was a mistake. Dave contributes sketches to comedy shows and used to co-host a radio sketch show. He’s worked with numerous vape companies to develop content for their websites.

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