Trade Bodies Respond to Disposable Ban Rumour
Trade bodies UKVIA and IBVTA have commented on the rumour that the Government is set to announce a ban on the importation and sale of disposable single-use vapes
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by Dave Cross
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The UK Vaping Industry Association
The UKVIA says it is “dismayed to hear strong rumours that the government is going to ban disposable vapes. While it is critical that action is taken to prevent youth access to vaping, such a move would effectively see vapers being sacrificed for votes ahead of the upcoming General Election.
“Single-use vapes have been instrumental in bringing the UK’s smoking rates down to their lowest levels on record and have played a critical role in helping adults quit and stay off cigarettes. Only this week, new research from University College London revealed that a ban could discourage the use of vaping as a stop smoking tool and trigger relapse amongst those who have already used disposables to quit, negatively impacting almost two million former and current smokers.
“A ban on single use products will lead to higher smoking rates with more lives lost. Furthermore, it means the Government can wave goodbye to its smokefree 2030 targets. The only winner will be the black market, which will present a much greater risk to children and adults.
“The solution to youth vaping doesn’t lie in bans and restrictions, but rather in effective and proactive enforcement of the laws that exist which make it illegal for sales to U18 year olds.”
The UKVIA said it will issue further statements as more news become available across this week.
The Independent British Vape Trade Association
The Independent British Vape Trade Association, the leading independent trade association for the UK vaping industry, released a statement warning that Big Tobacco and the black market will benefit from the Government ‘s intention to ban single-use vapes and flavours.
Chair of the IBVTA, Marcus Saxton said: “Children and those who have not smoked should not be using vapes and the industry is making significant efforts and progress to protect children including launching an industry code of conduct and changes to product descriptors and flavour names. However, introducing bans on single-use vapes and flavours, will have hugely damaging consequences including making it harder for smokers to quit and will push those that have quit, back into smoking. Big tobacco will be rubbing its hands with glee in anticipation of possible vape bans.
“Further, with an estimated third of the UK vape market comprising illicit products, any ban will simply benefit those pushing illegal and unregulated product as people seek out single-use and flavoured products from illicit sources.
“Research by Cancer Research UK and UCL published in recent days shows the critical role that single use vapes are playing in helping the 6.4 million smokers in the UK to quit and the risks of introducing bans. The vape industry stands ready to work with government to implement a proportionate regulatory regime, but introducing knee-jerk and unevidenced bans is not the solution. It’s simple – bans do not work.”
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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