John Dunne, Director General of the UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA), said:

“We are delighted to learn of this initiative. It clearly represents a watershed moment for the vaping category as the government’s recognition of vaping’s pivotal role in making smoking obsolete, is turned into nationwide action. It also means that Britain can get back on track with its smokefree ambition by 2030.

“The evidence has been there for many years that vaping is at least 95% less harmful than smoking and consecutive studies have shown that vaping is the most effective way in quitting conventional cigarettes. Whilst over 200 people a day die from smoking in the UK, there has not been one confirmed death globally from vaping nicotine liquids.

“It’s also very positive to see that the government has recognised the need for vaping options for smokers. This is key as their frequency of smoking will be very different so a one size fits all approach to quitting through vaping would not work. There is also a significant need to educate smokers about vaping – recent research that we commissioned showed that there is a lack of advice and this is critical to help smokers give up their habits.

“This government initiative to encourage adult smokers to quit through vaping is a very big step in the right direction but to ensure that vapes are only used by adults, it needs to work in tandem with measures that address the youth vaping situation which have been proposed by the government and our association.”

ENDS