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Chair Comment: Welcome for disposable vapes ban to tackle rise in use by children

29 January 2024

Responding to today’s announcement that disposable vapes will be banned and further measures introduced to protect children’s health, Committee Chair Steve Brine MP said:

“We welcome today’s announcement to ban disposable vapes and introduce further measures on other vapes to protect children from the risks of vaping. Our committee urged the government to take decisive action by introducing tougher restrictions on packaging and the marketing of vapes in line with those that already apply to tobacco products.

“When we took evidence from the vaping industry last year it was clear to us that the industry had not gone far enough to ensure its products did not appeal to children. With brightly coloured vapes and juvenile flavours, displayed alongside sweets and popular fizzy drinks in locations ranging from newsagents to chicken shops, it is disingenuous for the industry to claim otherwise. We support new powers to restrict vape flavours, introduce plain packaging and change how vapes are displayed in shops.

“However, we also heard compelling evidence about the benefits of vaping for existing smokers who want to quit or who want a cheaper alternative to tobacco and it’s to be hoped that further restrictions will not make it harder for adults who want to quit and see vapes as a way out of smoking tobacco”.

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