Ex-Ministers Back The Blueprint
Former Ministers back the sweeping recommendations on improving public health and boosting the economy presented in UKVIA’s Blueprint
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by Dave Cross
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The UK’s Tobacco and Related Products Regulations (TRPR) are currently being reviewed(2), with a crucial consultation due to close on 19th March. The resulting decisions made by Government are set to shape public health and smoking cessation policy for years to come.
Former Health Minister, Sir Norman Lamb, also a former Chair of Parliament’s Science and Technology Committee has praised the recommendations: “I welcome the launch of the UKVIA’s Blueprint document responding to the Government’s consultation - the TRPR review offers a great opportunity to improve public health across the UK by tackling misinformation about vaping.
“It also presents an opportunity for the industry to build on the evidence-based approach, which the Government has consistently taken on vaping products, and to support smokers who want to switch to a less harmful product.”
Former Labour MP Sir Kevin Barron, who is also a former Chair of Parliament’s Health and Social Care Select Committee said: “The current public consultation on TRPR and SPoT is an ideal opportunity to highlight how less harmful products have improved public health. The current lowest recorded smoking rates have been achieved by numerous avenues including switching from tobacco to less harmful products. The opportunity to bring in legislation to further encourage the move to products that can satisfy an addiction using products 95% less harmful than burning tobacco should not be missed.”
Developed by the sector’s leading businesses, the recommendations aim to help adult smokers quit, while increasing vaping’s economic contribution and even addressing environmental concerns. The UKVIA(3) Blueprint, among other things, 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, commented: “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.”
References:
- A Blueprint for Better Regulation - https://mailchi.mp/5165e20d33ee/trprblueprint
- Government Launches Consultation - https://www.planetofthevapes.co.uk/news/politics-campaigns/2021-02-04_government-launches-consultation.html
- The UK Vaping Industry Association - www.ukvia.co.uk
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.
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