Doctors are urging the government to get tough on what they are calling the “growing epidemic” of vaping in the UK, especially among young people.
The British Medical Association (BMA) has cited research from Action on Smoking and Health suggesting that vape use among children and young people has increased almost six-fold in the last decade.
One of the most dominant factors influencing this rise is the widespread availability of disposable vapes, it has said.
While the previous Conservative government introduced the Tobacco and Vapes Bill earlier this year, which set out proposals around regulating the sale of vapes, because of the general election this was not carried forward into the new Parliamentary session.
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The new Labour government re-introduced a Bill aimed at tackling smoking and youth vaping during the King’s Speech in July, but so far there are no details of any measures that will be taken, the BMA has said.
In a new report, the BMA has set out its blueprint for what it argues legislation should include to tackle rising vape use, especially among children and young people.
The recommendations include banning the commercial sale of all disposable vapes, on the grounds of “disproportionate and harmful use” by children and young people and their adverse impact on the environment.
The report, Taking our breath away: why we need stronger regulation of vapes, has also called for the banning of all non-tobacco vape flavours, and the prohibiting the use of all imagery, colouring and branding for both the packaging and vape device, similar to current restrictions on cigarettes.
There should be further restrictions on all advertising and marketing, and vapes should be kept behind the counter and not on display in shops and retail outlets.
The association has also called for government education campaigns for the public on the dangers of vapes to reduce appeal, especially among children and young people.
While it is recognised that vapes can be a useful tool in helping some people to stop smoking cigarettes, they offer a less dangerous rather than a risk-free alternative, the BMA has argued, pointing to the World Health Organization having declared them harmful.
Vaping, it has argued, can lead to nicotine addiction, with nicotine having the potential to cause health problems such as high blood pressure and increased risk of COPD. Furthermore, some e-cigarettes have been found to contain other harmful substances such as lead.
Professor David Strain, chair of the BMA’s board of science, said: “There is no denying we are living in a vaping epidemic. Vape usage has risen hugely in the last decade, with one in 10 ten adults now vaping.
“However, far more worrying, is the increase in young people who vape, with almost six times more 11-17 year-olds vaping now compared with ten years ago.
“As a doctor, I understand the role vapes can play in helping people to stop smoking, but they have no rightful place in our children and young people’s lives and when it comes to protecting their health, we cannot afford to gamble.
“And with two vapes thrown away every second in the UK, the environmental impact of this epidemic is disastrous,” Dr Strain added.
Separately, data published earlier this month from ASH found that vapes have been the most popular aid to quitting among those who have successfully stopped smoking in the past five years.
The charity’s latest survey found that, overall, 5.6 million adults currently vape, more than half of whom (53%) have stopped smoking, 39% are still smoking and 8% have never smoked.
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