North East campaign 's concern at plans to ban sale of disposable vapes

A North East smoking campaign group says it has concerns over Government plans to ban the sale of disposable vapes.

The plan is part of a number of measures aimed at cutting the number of children taking up smoking and vaping, including making it illegal for any child who turned 14 last year or younger to be ever sold cigarettes in England, restricting vape flavours, introducing plain packaging for vapes and changes to how vapes are displayed in shops so that they don’t appeal to children. 

The new bill will also include fines for shops which sell vapes illegally to children and empower trading standards officers to act ‘on the spot’ to tackle underage tobacco and vape sales.

Ailsa Rutter OBE is Director of Fresh, the region's anti-smoking campaign: “There is huge public support for a smokefree generation – and no wonder when most smokers start as children on an addiction which costs tens of thousands of pounds and kills two out of three," she said.

"The next few months will give our parliamentarians one of the biggest chances they will ever have to prevent our biggest cause of cancer, stop the start of young smokers and create a better life free of addiction for our children.

"In doing so this will be a significant moment to help transform the nation’s health and ease a massive pressure on our NHS and economy."

But she added: “We welcome the fact calls are being heeded to restrict access and desirability of disposables vapes to children. We have been asking for the government for a long time to increase their price and address the inappropriate promotion and packaging.

"But vapes are now the most common and one of the most effective ways for smokers to quit so we need to ensure they remain an available and accessible option for people to switch and cut the risk. Vaping is much less harmful than smoking. 

"We know how valuable disposable vapes can be with priority groups such as smokers in our poorest communities, older smokers and people with serious mental illness.

"The last thing we want is to push people back to smoking and widen health inequalities widen further. Any plans for a ban on them will need to be carefully considered to ensure that it doesn’t have unintended consequences."

Rishi Sunak visited Haughton Academy in Darlington, near his Richmond constituency, today to unveil the policy

The Prime Minister spoke to year nine pupils, aged 13 and 14, who were learning about the issue in their personal development class.

One girl told Mr Sunak: “It’s getting worse.”

She said vapes were being marketed at children, with colourful packaging.