Scotland: Association calls for ban on flavours and display ban on vaping

Action for Smoking and Health (ASH) Scotland has expressed support for the proposals.[1] of the UK government's 'Creating a smokefree generation and tackling youth vaping' consultation, aimed at restricting the flavours, packaging and marketing of e-cigarettes, as well as banning disposable vaping products.

Scotland stands out from its English neighbour in its more cautious approach to e-cigarettes. While England once promoted e-cigarettes as a tool for smokers to quit, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has recently proposed imposing additional taxes on vaping products, limiting flavours and banning disposable devices.

High use of vaping products among young teenagers in Scotland

A June 2023 study on the health behaviors of school-aged children indicated that 3 % of 11-year-old Scottish children and 10 % of 13-year-old children were regular users of e-cigarettes. They were 4 % and 16 % respectively to have experimented with e-cigarettes during their life. This high consumption by children has led health professionals to question the treatment of nicotine addiction in children under 12 years of age.

Earlier this year, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health in Scotland issued a warning about the widespread use of disposable e-cigarettes by young adolescents. According to these paediatricians, e-cigarettes can be more addictive than traditional cigarettes, but the long-term health effects are less clear.

Strengthening measures to protect young people

ASH denounces the aggressive marketing of vaping products, and in particular disposable devices, which are directly targeted at teenagers with the availability of a wide range of flavours and very attractive prices (£2 for a puff). ASH Scotland therefore wants all flavours to be banned, with the exception of tobacco for these products. For Sheila Duffy, the organisation's chief executive, most vaping products contain high levels of nicotine, which is highly addictive, as well as toxic chemicals in the flavours which have not been tested for inhalation and which could harm lung health over time.

Ash is also calling for an outright ban on puffs for public health and environmental reasons. The association also wants plain packaging for all vaping devices and a display ban at points of sale to reduce the appeal of the products to children.

Calls for stronger regulations on vaping products have been increasing around the world in recent months in order to protect younger generations. The WHO has released a urgent call on December 14 to take strong and decisive measures to reduce the consumption of vaping products, especially by young people, and to prioritize proven withdrawal treatments.

Keywords: Scotland, children, flavors, e-cigarettes, puff, marketing, United Kingdom

AE

[1] Press release, ASH Scotland calls for urgent action to shut down availability, visibility and flavors of e-cigarettes to tackle youth vaping epidemic, published on - December 2023, accessed on December 15, 2023