Ahead of today's Second Reading of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill
(Tues 16 April), MP, Chair of the Health and
Social Care Committee said:
“Later today I'll be urging my fellow MPs
to support this Bill to save lives and create a
smokefree generation.
“It is beyond reason that we allow the legal sale
of products that are known to kill when used
correctly. Tens of thousands of lives lost to cancer,
heart disease and strokes could be saved
by backing this legislation. Smoking is the biggest
preventable killer in our country today. We're not talking
about people having a free choice, it's an addiction.
“The Bill doesn't criminalise existing smokers but will
make it illegal to sell tobacco products to anyone who is
born on or after New Year's Day 2009. We will be
saying it's not okay to start smoking when you
reach 18. In future we'll look back and ask how did
we ever say it was? Smoking rates are coming down
but now it's time to finish the job. Public opinion is
clear, there's widespread support for these measures.
“This Bill's provisions to stop youth vaping are important to get
right and I commend the Government for taking up the
recommendation of my Committee, and many others, to target
single-use vapes and ban them. But more comprehensive
measures are essential. We see
the cynical marketing at young adults, teenagers
and pre-teen children with vapes sold as a lifestyle
product. The long-term effects of vaping are simply not
known. We must allocate and apply resources to finding out
what effects vaping in all its forms is likely to have long
term on health and well-being if we are to
prevent further pressures on our overburdened NHS.
“In a publicly funded healthcare system such as ours we have a
right and I would argue a responsibility to act on population
level public health.”
ENDS
Further information:
- The Health and Social Care Committee urged the Government
to bring restrictions on packaging and marketing of vapes in
line with those that apply to tobacco products to tackle the
rise in use among children.
- The Committee questioned vaping industry representatives
about children's access to vapes - view evidence session
here with transcript.
