Vape Flavour Bans Could Increase Smoking
UK academics have said that a report by the British Medical Association (BMA) that calls for severe restrictions on vapers’ access to and choice of vaping device is misguided and risks throwing the baby out with the bath water.
The BMA, an organisation that represents doctors in the UK, called for bans on on-line sales, displays in retails outlets, and all non-tobacco flavours, as well as restrictions on marketing and advertising (28 August 2024).
Vapers of all ages like flavours
Prof Peter Hajek, Professor of Clinical Psychology and Director of the Health and Lifestyle Research Unit, Queen Mary University of London (QMUL), said, however, that banning vape flavours would be ‘misguided’ and that the target should be smoking. "Smokers of all ages prefer vapes with non-tobacco flavours,” he said.
“Regulations need to make sure that concerns about very hypothetical future risks of youth vaping do not trump concerns about the very real and present risks of adult smoking," he said.
He also pointed out that smoking is at an all-time low and many vapers are “would-be smokers.” And that despite the report’s claim (which he points out is supported by a reference to a blog), ”vaping is less addictive than smoking.”
Flavours help quitting
Prof. Lion Shahab, Professor of Health Psychology and Co-Director of the UCL Tobacco and Alcohol Research Group, University College London, argued that flavours are important to adults switching from cigarettes to e-cigarettes, not just to youth; and an outright flavour ban could increase smoking, which has happened in the US where flavour bans were introduced.
Shahab said that we must be mindful not to throw the baby out with the bathwater and that we should focus on regulations that can achieve their stated aims without discouraging smokers who are struggling to quit.
The UK Labour government is expected to revisit the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which will look at flavours, before the end of the year.
