On April 17, as videos on TikTok and Instagram surged, social media influencers may be banned from promoting e-cigarettes to teenagers online. The UK government is gathering evidence to address the issue of teenagers using e-cigarettes and considering banning fruit flavors and packaging that appeal to minors.
Conservative MP and pediatrician Caroline Johnson said that UK ministers need to push for a "large-scale, multi-pronged crackdown on e-cigarettes for teenagers," aligning e-cigarette advertising rules with those of cigarettes, and closely monitoring influencers on social media.
UK Health Secretary Neil O'Brien said the government will conduct investigations on teenage e-cigarette use and explore issues such as regulatory compliance, e-cigarette appearance, marketing, and the role of social media. Additionally, MPs are calling for stronger supervision of promotions on social media to prevent minors from accessing e-cigarettes.
Professor Andrew Bush from the National Heart and Lung Institute at Imperial College London urged the government to ban colorful, attractive e-cigarette packaging and encouraged investigation into e-cigarette promotion methods on social media.
Also read:
- UK Prime Minister guarantees crackdown on illegal e-cigarette sales and criticizes advertisements targeting minors
- Over 30,000 illegal tobacco and e-cigarette products seized in Staffordshire, UK
- Guardian: 73% of UK e-cigarette liquid exceeds standards, with nicotine detected in 8 nicotine-free products
- UK to allocate £3 million to establish enforcement teams to crack down on stores selling e-cigarettes to minors
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