London, UK – Yesterday, MPs voted in favour of the second reading of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which will prohibit the sale of tobacco to anyone aged 15 and under. WVA warns the MPs to reconsider their vote as the bill is going 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.

“Cé gur inmholta an rún chun an daonra a chosc ón eipidéim tobac atá ag fás, tá an toirmeasc breise ar tháirgí Heat-not-burn-tobacco ag ardú imní. Tá sé cruthaithe go bhfuil na táirgí seo i bhfad níos lú díobhálacha agus in éineacht le vapes blaistithe agus táirgí nicotín eile, cosúil le púitsí, bhí siad ríthábhachtach chun cabhrú leis na milliúin daoine a chaitheann tobac éirí as. Tá an Bille ag cruthú fasach contúirteach d’éagsúlachtaí sa reachtaíocht do ghrúpaí éagsúla den daonra agus rioscaí á gcur i bhfeidhm ar tháirgí eile nach bhfuil chomh díobhálach céanna agus a bhí ríthábhachtach chun caitheamh tobac a chomhrac,” a dúirt Michael Landl, stiúrthóir ar an World Vapers' Alliance.

“We are calling on Members of Parliament who voted for the bill to reconsider their vote. Approving such a bill carries many unintended consequences such as expansion of the cigarettes or flavoured e-cigarettes black market and youth indulgence in smoking habits,” added Landl.

“There are a few examples when legislators tried to implement generational bans which have not succeeded, such as Bhútáin where the generational ban resulted in a huge black market growth and had to be eventually reversed. Let’s not risk the health of the UK population and focus on educational and risk-based approaches,”concluded Landl.

World Vapers Alliance has compiled a vast fact sheet on tobacco harm reduction, including data on nicotine, flavours, and taxation that is available anseo.