Londain, an Ríocht Aontaithe — Tomorrow, on 8 March, the United Kingdom celebrates its annual health awareness day, ‘No smoking day’, to encourage more smokers to quit. The World Vapers’ Alliance, a global vaping consumer organisation, urges the UK government to keep embracing vaping as a smoking cessation tool and embrace ‘No Smoking Day’ as an opportunity to push back against pressure to treat vaping like smoking.

Dúirt Michael Landl, Stiúrthóir Chomhghuaillíocht Domhanda na dTobacóirí:

“The UK is a smoking-cessation champion and harm reduction leader worldwide. Smoking rates have fallen by more than 29% in the last decade since vaping became widely popular, and the government must double down on embracing vaping. The broad adoption of vaping due to strong political backing is why smoking rates decrease faster than in other countries. ‘No Smoking Day’ should celebrate the UK’s achievement and not be endangered by vaping scaremongering.”

Politico le déanaí tuairiscithe that some ministers are considering imposing higher taxes on vaping products, and enforcing new regulations on packaging and flavours in response to the Khan Review foilsithe anuraidh. Chuirfeadh sé seo an dul chun cinn a baineadh amach trí ghlacadh go hiomlán le galú i measc daoine a chaitheann tobac i mbaol.

“Politicians must withstand the pressure from anti-vaping groups, the WHO, and other countries who are ignoring scientific facts and the success of the UK. Caving-in would be a disaster for smokers and current vapers. Higher taxation over vaping products and equalling vaping with smoking instead of adopting a risk-based regulation will push many vapers back to smoking and not help current smokers to switch to a less harmful alternative”, Chuir Landl.

Compared to the EU, smoking rates in the UK have fallen dhá oiread chomh tapa. Last month, the UK was crowned as one of the tobacco harm reduction champions by the World Vapers’ Alliance in the Bunleabhar Beartais um Laghdú Dochair Tobac.

Comhghuaillíocht Domhanda na Vapers is a global consumer movement that amplifies the voices of more than 55,000 vapers worldwide. WVA urges the UK to support vaping and other smoking alternatives to remain a leader in tobacco harm reduction.