Government proposes vape and tobacco restrictions

The government has launched a consultation to address concerns over the appeal of vapes to young people, proposing vape price increases and changing point of sale displays.

The Department of Health and Social Care has published an eight-week consultation named ‘Creating a smokefree generation and tackling youth vaping’, with a range of options proposed on how to restrict accessibility of vapes.

Increasing the price of vapes, restricting the supply and sale of disposable vapes, and limiting flavours are among the six options to address underage vaping.

An increase in price on vapes could be imposed through a national tax, while ensuring there is a different duty applied between vape and tobacco products.

In looking at restricting the availability of vapes, the government has set out a proposal for changing the point of sale displays for the products. Currently, children can ‘see and handle vapes’ in retail outlets where they are often ‘displayed alongside confectionery and on accessible shelves’, the document said, yet they must still remain visible to adults as a ‘quit aid’.

The proposal of a disposable vape ban has not been ruled out by the government, which could cost retailers thousands of pounds in profits. The consultation added that a chief concern is the environmental impact of disposable vapes, as almost five million of the devices are littered or thrown away in general waste every week.

ACS chief executive James Lowman added that there is a risk in restricting the sale of disposable vapes given they have helped smokers to quit and “drive a reduction in smoking rates”, but welcomes the consultation to “properly regulate the vaping market” and make sure it operates responsibly and sustainably.

“It’s clear that something needs to be done to reduce the impact that these products have on the environment, and these products should never be sold to or used by children,” he said.

Tobacco age restriction

Lowman also said that the convenience sector will need support from the government to implement the tobacco age restriction, whereby the legal age to buy cigarettes will increase by one year, every year, from the current minimum age of 18 years old.

“The government must consider all of the possible long-term challenges for colleagues and retailers at the front line of implementing a generational ban on the sale of tobacco,” he said.

“Current and future regulations must be enforced far better. It is unacceptable that responsible retailers are being undermined by others selling products that are already illegal, often to children. The chancellor can address this in his Autumn Statement with further funding for Trading Standards to carry out more local enforcement activity against rogue vape sellers.” 

The government has proposed to enforce the age cap by requesting retailer display a new point of sale sign, reading: ‘It is illegal to sell tobacco products to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009.’