ASH Supports Anti-Vape Action
The Tobacco and Vapes Bill has been introduced to Parliament by the Government and has met with strong support from the All Party Parliamentary Group on Smoking and Health and ASH UK
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by Dave Cross
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In its own words, the government will reduce the appeal and availability of vapes by:
- providing powers for the government to regulate:
- the flavours and contents of vapes
- the retail packaging and product requirements of vapes
- the point of sale displays of vapes
- extending the existing offence to sell a nicotine vaping product to a person who is under the age of 18 to non-nicotine vapes for England and Wales
- introducing a ban on the free distribution of vapes to under 18s for England and Wales
- updating the existing vape notification system to align with future regulatory requirements
The legislation: The Tobacco and Vapes Bill
Action on Smoking and Health commented that parliamentarians from across all major parties pledged their support, “and polling shows voters for all major parties back raising the age of sale for tobacco by a substantial margin.”
The anti-smoking charity pointed to its YouGov poll which found that two thirds of adults support smokefree generation legislation (14% are opposed). Support is strongest among those who intend to vote for the two main parties in the general election (73% of those intending to vote Conservative, 72% Labour.
Bob Blackman MP, the Conservative Chairman of the APPG on Smoking and Health, said: “This Bill is welcomed by the APPG and by our fellow backbenchers across both houses of parliament committed to protecting future generations from the death and disease caused by smoking. The Prime Minister will have our strong support to accelerate the passage of the Bill and ensure that it is on the statute book before the general election.”
Mary Kelly Foy MP, the Labour vice chair of the APPG, added: “This Bill will save lives and protect our communities by putting us on a path to a future where smoking is a dim and distant memory. Labour is backing this Bill and will lend its votes to the government to get this legislation passed before the next election. There is no more time to waste.”
Lord Rennard, the Liberal Democrat vice chair of the APPG, continued: “My mother did not choose to die of smoking and to leave me and my brothers as orphans when I was 16. Most smokers start in their youth and struggle to kick the habit. That’s why I don’t want them to take it up in the first place; it harms them and many others. There is strong public support which will ensure that the Government can pass this legislation on a free vote, just as the previous Coalition government introduced the ban on smoking in cars carrying children.”
Action on Smoking and Health is a health charity working to eliminate the harm caused by tobacco use – which makes its support for this staunchly anti-vaping Bill appear odd.
In fact, Deborah Arnott, ASH’s soon to retire chief executive, described the Tobacco and Vapes Bill as “ground-breaking”, adding, “Smoking is the silent killer that hides in plain sight, killing more people than Covid at the height of the pandemic. Ending this scourge on society cannot come soon enough.”
Tory MPs Greg Smith and Liz Truss have already said they plan to vote against the Bill.
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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