Last night, the Government published it’s Green Paper on Advancing Public health through prevention. It contains an ambitious goal to eradicate smoking by 2030 and is supportive of how vaping can help achieve this aim. The UK Vaping Industry Association is supportive of the measures contained in there relating to smoking, but calls on the Government to work with us experts in the industry to make the ambitions a reality.
Dan Marchant, UK Vaping Industry Association board member said:
“The Green Paper on prevention takes very welcome and positive steps in recognising the public health prize offered by vaping and how it can help reduce tobacco harm. Eradicating smoking by 2030 is an ambitious goal and will need bold steps to achieve it. One of those steps should be widespread support for vaping, particularly amongst the public health community. As the Green Paper notes, there is a large amount of research now available to support vaping as a safer alternative to smoking and help people quit smoking, including a recent study from University College London which showed that vaping was more effective at helping smokers quit than other nicotine replacement therapies. As it is widely accessible it can help target those hard to reach groups amongst whom smoking rates remain persistently high, which is a key ambition contained in the Green Paper.
“We have already seen welcome steps taken in Birmingham with the first vape shops opening in NHS hospitals, and more hospitals should be encouraged to offer this support to their patients as part of the Government’s plans.
“Urgent action is needed to realise these ambitions. The UKVIA will be responding to the consultation fully, and stands ready to meet and engage with Health Ministers in the new Government to ensure that the Green Paper sets the right agenda going forward.”