Vaping market reform needed to restore trust and ensure its long-term place on the public health agenda
The government’s response in April to Javed Khan’s report Making Smoking Obsolete reiterated that more must be done to embrace the role of vape products as an effective means of reducing smoking prevalence.
This support is not new – UK health officials have been consistent in their support for vape as the most effective way to stop smoking since the publication in 2015 of a report by Public Health England (PHE) which concluded that vaping was about 95 per cent less harmful than smoking.
If this approach to harm reduction is to remain effective, public and consumer confidence must be built and protected. Recent, well-publicised instances of noncompliant product being sold, combined with concerns about youth access to vape products, do little to enhance the credibility of this market and risk damaging consumer confidence irreparably – damage that is further compounded by lack of enforcement on the part of an under-resourced Trading Standards.
At Imperial Brands plc we have always been unequivocal that our vape products are intended exclusively for existing smokers or vapers only and not for those who have never used nicotine-containing products. Moreover, it is of utmost importance that vape products are never, under any circumstances, used by children.
We share the concerns many have about the increase in numbers of young people vaping. Therefore, we strongly urge the UK government to establish a new retailer licensing scheme, preventing the sale of vape products to individuals under the age of 18, and enhancing compliance with existing regulations. We also call upon the government to strengthen regulations pertaining to online advertising and promotion of vape products, and to review flavour naming conventions to mitigate their appeal to young people.
In addition to our commitment to preventing youth access to vape products, we are advocating for higher standards across the industry. Consistent quality assurance is paramount in building confidence and trust. Thus, in addition to the rigorous product assessment and quality assurance processes conducted prior to launch, we have implemented robust mechanisms to monitor the quality and safety of our products once they are on the market. Our aim is for these product quality and safety standards to become mandatory across the entire industry in the future – thus helping to re-establish trust in vape products and their role in tobacco harm reduction.
As the government considers new regulations for vape products, it is crucial to acknowledge that existing regulations can be further utilised – particularly with regards to effective enforcement. Trading standards officers, who tirelessly oversee the vape market and with whom we have long-standing relationships, have expressed the need for increased authority to address irresponsible actors.
The UK government, industry stakeholders, and enforcement authorities must collaborate in establishing a regulatory framework which strikes a delicate balance between supporting adult smokers in their journey to quit while also preventing underage appeal and access to vape products. We firmly believe that rebuilding consumer confidence within a responsible and trustworthy market is the most effective way to realise the harm reduction potential of vaping. Urgent reform for the vape market is not only necessary, it is imperative.
Imperial Brands Plc (IMB), a FTSE 100 company headquartered in Bristol and London in the UK, is a global consumer goods organisation and the fourth largest international tobacco company. Our core tobacco business is built around a comprehensive portfolio of local and
international cigarette brands and other tobacco products and smoking accessories available
in 120 markets worldwide. Imperial Tobacco Limited (ITL) (together with Imperial Brands PLC)
is the Bristol-based trading operation of IMB which distributes Imperial Tobacco’s products
to the UK market.
Aligned with our purpose to forge a path to a healthier future for moments of relaxation and
pleasure, we are also committed to building a sustainable next generation product (NGP)
business, offering smokers a targeted range of potentially less harmful alternatives to
traditional tobacco products. Included in our portfolio is blu, a market leader in the
UK vape category.
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