Don’t ban flavoured e-liquids for e-cigarettes

We would like the Government to not ban flavoured e-liquids for e-cigarettes. We believe the vaping industry has helped many people quit cigarettes which contain tobacco - a product which is single handily responsible for over 8 million deaths a year across the globe (estimated by WHO).

We believe banning flavoured e-liquids will reduce incentives to switch to vaping, which can help people live longer, healthier lives. Current vapers may decide to return to smoking and become part of the 8 million who sadly die from smoking related diseases each year.

We can get behind the disposable ban, but we believe that banning flavours isn't the answer. We think this could risk a pandemic of underage smokers getting their products from the black market.

The health advice is clear – if you don’t smoke, don’t vape and children should never vape.

There has been an alarming rise in youth vaping in recent years. The number of children vaping has tripled in the last 3 years and 1 in 5 children have used a vape. Given the potential health risks of nicotine, it is important that we protect our children from underage vaping, while their lungs and brains are still developing.

Evidence shows that vapes appeal to children and are too easily accessible and affordable. For example, a frequently used vape flavouring for children is ‘fruit flavour’ with 60% of current children using them. 17% of children who vape choose sweet flavours such as chocolate or candy and 4.8% choose to vape energy or soft drink flavours. Research has also been carried out that shows flavours are an important factor in motivating young people to start vaping (Flavors increase adolescents' willingness to try nicotine and cannabis vape products - PubMed (nih.gov) - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36963159/.

In the Government’s recent Call for Evidence on youth vaping (2023) our analysis found that 66% of respondents stated that sweet or fruity flavours was the main appeal of vape flavours to children. Flavours can also often entice children to try vaping through how they are described, for example 'fiery flavoured strawberry' and 'berry blast', sweet flavours that children may be familiar with. Reducing the range of vape flavours, therefore, and specifically restricting those flavours that most appeal to children, has the potential to significantly reduce the number of children who are vaping.