According to a report on October 13th by ITV, the UK Health Secretary, Steve Barclay, has stated that the government is contemplating measures to reduce the appeal of e-cigarettes to children, particularly the attraction of flavors such as bubblegum and brightly colored packaging. He expressed his concern as a father that children may be exposed to e-cigarettes as a result.
Barclay highlights its concern over how e-cigarettes are being designed with bubblegum flavors and dessert-like appearances to target children. Currently, one-fifth of children have tried e-cigarettes, and the number of child users has tripled. The government has clearly stated that targeting children through e-cigarettes is a mistake.
Barclay's statement was made during the launch of the government's consultation on this issue. Additionally, when asked about potentially classifying e-cigarettes as prescription medicines, he mentioned they were looking at international best practices. Concerns were raised that making e-cigarettes available only through prescription could reduce the number of adults switching to e-cigarettes. He stated, "We want to find a balance, and this is something we're doing nationwide.
A consultancy session of eight weeks seeks perspectives on how to encourage smokers to quit using e-cigarettes, while also aiming to obtain recommendations on reducing the appeal of e-cigarettes to those under the age of 18. Proposed measures under consideration include a complete ban on disposable e-cigarettes, sales restrictions, or ensuring they cannot be marketed in a manner that may attract young individuals.
In addition, the government is considering several measures, such as introducing plain packaging, banning the use of cartoons and child-friendly images, regulating the display of e-cigarettes in stores, and increasing prices. Regarding e-cigarette flavors, options being considered include restricting their descriptions to make them more generic, for example, flavors like "blueberry pancake" would not be allowed.
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