As MPs lined up to vote in Rishi Sunak’s anti-vape legislation, the World Vapers’ Alliance (WVA) warned that the United Kingdom stood on the verge of a public health disaster. The Bill will prohibit the sale of tobacco to anyone aged 15 and under, but contains provisions that will deter smokers from switching to vaping. In Turin, the city council passed an amendment, introducing significant restrictions on smoking and vaping.
The WVA warned British MPs to reconsider their vote as Sunak’s Tobacco and Vapes Bill moves to the next stage in the Parliament. The proposed bill implies that anyone born after 2009 will not be able to purchase cigarettes or Heat-not-burn-tobacco products. The Parliament also agreed on possible restrictions on e-cigarette flavours and product packaging among others.
“While the intention to prevent the population from the growing smoking epidemic is commendable, the additional ban of Heat-not-burn-tobacco products is raising concerns. These products have been proven to be a lot less harmful and together with flavoured vapes and other nicotine products, such as pouches, have been crucial in aiding millions of smokers quit. The Bill is creating a dangerous precedent of disparities in legislation for different groups of population and risks being applied for other, less harmful products which have been crucial in combating smoking,” said Michael Landl, director of the World Vapers’ Alliance.
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