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Ban on flavoured vapes and tax hike considered
Fruit flavours may be banned and extra taxes applied to e-cigarettes, in a crackdown on vaping aimed at children.
And, as promised last month, ministers will also be looking to raise the age of sale for smoking.
The idea is to raise the age at which tobacco products can be bought by a year every year from 2027.
It would mean those currently aged under 15 could never buy cigarettes or tobacco legally.
The government is currently consulting on measures to tackle the rise in youth vaping.
Measures being considered include:
• restricting how vapes are described
• limiting flavours to tobacco or tobacco and mint only
• banning displays in shops, so vapes remain hidden, as is the case for cigarettes
• introducing plain packaging, to stop the use of cartoons and animal characters
• banning the use of disposable vapes
Introducing a new tax on e-cigarettes is also proposed - value added tax (VAT) is already applied - to make vapes more expensive.
It is currently three times cheaper to vape than smoke - although, the consultation has urged careful consideration as vapes are also an important tool to help smokers quit, as they carry a fraction of the risk.
Hazel Cheeseman, from the Action on Smoking and Health campaign group, welcomed the move.
"Vapes have been a valuable aid to help smokers quit - but vaping has been growing among teens," she said.
"Further regulations are needed to ensure products are not promoted or sold to teens."
Ms Cheeseman also backed the idea of an extra tax on vapes, to reduce their affordability for teenagers, but added it was important they remained "cheaper than lethal tobacco products".
Source: BBC, 7 November 2023
See also: DHSC - Creating a smokefree generation and tackling youth vaping: what you need to know | The Telegraph – Vapes to be taxed under plans to stop young non-smokers taking up habit | The Times - What is in the King’s Speech 2023? The 21 policies explained
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Smokefree generation legislation could be introduced next month
Ministers are considering a new tax on vapes in a significant expansion of moves to create a “smoke-free generation” that also includes the gradual introduction of a total ban on smoking for children.
Documents published alongside Rishi Sunak’s first king’s speech revealed that an eight-week consultation on smoking and vaping would “explore a new duty” on vapes as about 40 other countries have already introduced.
The new tobacco and vapes bill, which ministers plan to introduce next month, will introduce tighter restrictions on vaping to protect children and phase out the sale of cigarettes, so they can never be sold to children currently aged 14 or younger.
Source: The Guardian, 7 November 2023
DHSC - Creating a smokefree generation and tackling youth vaping: what you need to know
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Ministers hand out £70 million per year to get hundreds of thousands to quit smoking after tobacco ban announced
The government will hand out £70 million per year to projects to help people stop smoking, after it announced a tobacco ban in the King's Speech on Tuesday.
Ministers said the funding is double the money currently available for stop-smoking services, and should help 360,000 people ditch cigarettes.
Meanwhile more than 12,000 responses have been sent in to the government's consultation on plans to create a smoke-free generation and crack down on youth vaping.
King Charles confirmed the Tobacco and Vapes Bill during his first King's Speech to Parliament on Tuesday, which means children born after 2009 will never legally be able to purchase tobacco in England.
Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said: “Smoking kills tens of thousands of people every single year. That’s why we’re working at pace to introduce this historic legislation which will protect the next generation, prevent our children from starting smoking, and improve our nation’s health.
“We’ve also announced funding allocations for every single area in England to support local stop smoking services and support, which are proven to significantly improve someone’s chances of quitting for good. The increased new investment of £70 million per year will double current funding for such services and will help save countless lives up and down the country.”
Professor Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer for England, said: "Smoking is highly addictive and causes multiple diseases including heart disease, cancers, dementia and stroke.
“The response to the consultation shows people care strongly about this issue. If passed, the Bill will help ensure the next generation is smoke free and the additional funding will help current smokers stop, preventing major future harm.”
Source: LBC, 8 November 2023
DHSC - Creating a smokefree generation and tackling youth vaping: what you need to know
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