MP Demands Juice For All
An MP has demanded that the government allow everybody to be able to access reduced harm products from bricks and mortar stores
-
by Dave Cross
Share on:
In 2018, Alex Cunningham told then Public Health Minister Steve Brine that vaping could “utilised to achieve the targets set out.” He added that it was safer than tobacco and “should be used to support smokers with mental health conditions.”
The message hit home, and Brine promised that the government would make more of an effort to ensure smokers were informed about vaping’s relative safety. [link]
Recently, Cunningham has been lobbying the government about vape shops being forced to close as part of the measures to combat COVID-19.
Writing a letter to the Secretary of State, Alex said that bricks and mortar stores were essential in ensuring that ex-smokers without access to (or a fear of) the internet needed this access to prevent them from returning to smoking.
“Whilst there are some shops that remain open which sell the liquids for vaping products, these tend to be in smaller amounts and as a result can be more expensive. It is still possible to order products online, but not everybody is able to confidently use the internet to make purchases, and there can be longer delays through the post,” wrote Cunningham.
“Although an extra few days wait for the liquids may not seem like much, it is enough time for someone to choose the available option of cigarettes rather than not have having nicotine products for several days."
“As long as these shops are following the rules on social distancing, and operating strict procedures like other shops are doing, we should ensure that people can still pick the healthier option in life, including with e-cigarettes.”
He highlighted that vape shops have been closed, whereas Off Licences remain open. Ian Hamilton, lecturer in Mental Health at the Department of Health Sciences at the University of York, recently said: “There is only one group that absolutely requires alcohol: alcoholics. For those with alcohol dependencies, any abrupt disruption to their intake could be deadly; for the rest of us, alcohol is a luxury. Why, then, has the government made it essential?”
Given the addictive quality posed by cigarettes, Alex Cunningham’s argument is powerful and compelling.
Research has shown that older people fear shopping online, worried about making mistakes during the order process, and harbour concerns over not being able to work out if they are being scammed [link]. These people more than any other deserve the right of access to reduced harm products.
Dave Cross
Journalist at POTVDave 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 start-ups to develop content for their websites.
Join the discussion
Harm Reduction For The Rich
The United Kingdom risks becoming a harm reduction country only for the wealthy, according to Michael Landl of the World Vapers’ Alliance
-
by Dave Cross
CAPHRA Highlights Tobacco Control Flaws
The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates highlights the flaws in tobacco control which has led to the rise of black market in Australia
-
by Dave Cross
A Missed Opportunity at COP10
The Smoke Free Sweden movement says that COP10 was a missed opportunity to save millions of lives
-
by Dave Cross
COP10: Promote Tobacco Harm Reduction
Experts with Smoke Free Sweden are emphasising the urgent need for a Tobacco Harm Reduction approach at COP10
-
by Dave Cross
