The UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA) is urging the Scottish government to reconsider its proposal to tighten restrictions on e-cigarette advertising.
This call comes after the government released the consultation results for their proposed plan. According to UKVIA, the feedback received relates to individuals, local authorities, public health organizations, and vaping communities. The opinions expressed indicate that the government's proposals do not have the support of the majority, with mixed opinions leaving many questions about the future of e-cigarette regulations unanswered.
At the start of the consultation, UKVIA warned that the Scottish government's proposal could undermine the country's smoke-free ambition for 2034, calling their stance "fact-denial." This poses significant risks to the health of Scots seeking to quit smoking, and creates more uncertainty around e-cigarette usage due to misinformation.
The proposal put forward aims to further conflate smoking and vaping by combining advertising and promotional rules with existing restrictions on tobacco products. This was stated by John Dunne, Secretary General of UKVIA.
The Scottish Grocer's Federation has also endorsed UKVIA's position, stating that the Scottish government's actions are unreasonable and fail to recognize the potential benefits of vaping products.
Many of the government's proposals have received responses, with more people disagreeing than agreeing. These proposals include banning in-store promotional displays, considering free distribution and nominally priced vacuum products illegal, and deeming sponsorship agreements for e-cigarette products illegal.
A higher proportion of respondents expressed that the proposed policy would have a negative impact on individuals, with 50.5% of people believing it would affect them negatively, while 36.9% did not. Additionally, 48.6% of respondents believed that it would have a negative impact on socio-economic disadvantaged groups, while 25.5% believed otherwise.
John Dunne, the CEO of UKVIA, stated in a press release, "The proposed measures merely serve to blur smoking with combustible tobacco products further, by combining advertising and promotion regulations with existing limitations on tobacco products.
Only by collaborating with others, following evidence, and listening to people's testimonies can we successfully achieve the goal of reducing the harm of tobacco.
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