VApril Vaping Awareness Month 2023 Plans for Two Major Events

Article by Rui Tian - The annual VApril, an event that aims to raise awareness about vaping and encourage smokers to quit smoking by switching to vaping, is closing in again this year. The event is organized by the UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA) to be held every year in the month of April. The event features a variety of activities and initiatives, including education campaigns, promotions, and events.

VApril was first launched in 2019 as a response to the increasing popularity of vaping and the need to address the misconceptions surrounding it. Since then, VApril has grown in popularity and has become a highly anticipated event in the UK vaping community. The event has helped to raise awareness about vaping and encouraged many smokers to quit smoking and switch to vaping. In fact, a study conducted by the UKVIA found that over 100,000 smokers had quit smoking by switching to vaping during VApril 2019.

One of the key objectives of VApril is to provide accurate information about vaping to the public. The event features a range of education campaigns and initiatives aimed at dispelling the myths and misconceptions surrounding vaping. These campaigns highlight the scientific evidence supporting the use of vaping as a smoking cessation aid and emphasize the harm reduction benefits of vaping compared to smoking.

The Events

VApril also features a range of promotions and events aimed at encouraging smokers to switch to vaping. Many vaping stores offer discounts and promotions on vaping products during the event, while others hold events and workshops to educate people about vaping and its benefits. In addition to these activities, this year's VApril will feature two new events. 

The first is a Parliamentary Reception to be held in the Houses of Parliament on Tuesday 28th March, hosted by Adam Afriyie, the Vice-Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Vaping. The event will provide a platform to restate the need for the Government to look at the inclusion of positive evidence-based messaging on vape product packaging to address the adverse effect that misinformation around the category is having on smokers' decisions to switch over, launch the cost-of-living crisis effect on smokers' decisions to quit using vaping and the implications this has for educating those new to vaping to ensure a successful outcome, and unveil the UKVIA's new proposals to prevent underage and illicit vape sales which have been drawn up by the UKVIA's Youth Access Prevention Taskforce.

The second new event is the Vapouround bus, which is being used to supplement the campaign efforts of retail stores and brand owners across the country. The bus will be present near the Houses of Parliament when the UKVIA officially launches VApril 2023 on 28th March. There are also plans for the Vapouround bus to visit other towns and cities (locations to be confirmed) during VApril, supporting educational outreach to smokers. JBP has also agreed a discounted rate for members to promote their brands or retail stores on the bus.

VApril has achieved a number of significant milestones since its inception. The event has helped to raise awareness about vaping and its benefits, and has encouraged many smokers to quit smoking