The Tobacco and Vapes Bill which will phase out the sale of tobacco products for those aged 15 or younger this year, and bring in more restrictions on vaping, is close to reaching its final stages in Parliament. At the time of writing it was in the committee stage of the House of Lords after it had its second reading there in April.
This comes as public health campaign group ASH published the results of a survey which showed increased public support for widening smoking bans and for further regulations on vaping. ASH said the survey showed that 78% of British adults support banning sweet flavours, cartoon characters, and bright packaging on vapes, which are all thought to make them more attractive to young people.
The law will introduce tight regulations on vapes including restrictions on the sale and marketing of vaping products and allow for limits on nicotine strength, flavour restrictions, and packaging rules . It will also introduce on the spot fines of £200 to retailers found to be selling tobacco, vape and nicotine products to people underage.
In the debate in the Lords there were some concerns that restricting flavours of vapes, that many agree are designed to appeal to younger people, could actually deter adults who needed to switch from smoking to vaping. There was general agreement that a balance needed to be struck between showing smokers that vaping was less risky and ensuring that non-smokers never chose to vape.
Meanwhile, the continuing challenge for schools tackling vaping among their students was recently highlighted in an investigation by ITV’s breakfast programme, Good Morning Britain , which found that between 2021 and 2024, there had been a 411% rise in the number of ambulance call-outs for incidents related to vaping and nearly a fifth of cases involved students being taken to hospital for further treatment. This follows a study last year by Bath University that found that an alarming number of vapes confiscated had been laced with spice that is a highly dangerous addictive drug, while THC vapes are also a concern among schools.
Illicit vapes that contain high levels of nicotine and other harmful materials are also a concern. The government has been increasing the level of funding to support the seizure of illegal vapes by Trading Standards bodies in the past two years and it has committed more money to train extra Trading Standards enforcement officers to help stop the sale of illicit vapes and enforcing age restrictions around vaping.
We will keep you informed about the process about the process of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill and can support schools and other settings across south west England tackle vaping by supplying the HALO Smart Sensor. To find out more contact us.
