It is disappointing that the media today have focused on the ill devised ‘undercover investigation’ of vape shops in the Royal Society for Public Heath’s (RSPH) report on smoking cessation and e-cigarettes.
The results, according to the RSPH, were that 90 per cent of vape shops visited sold a vape product to the undercover ‘non-smoker.’ We want to make it absolutely clear that there is no national guidance or law on the sale of e-cigarettes to ‘non-smokers’. And it is worth noting the Office of National Statistics that 97% of vaping users are smokers or ex-smokers.
The negative headlines have missed many of the positive elements of the RSPH’s report, which UKVIA welcome.
For example we welcome their recognition of the massive public health opportunity that e-cigarettes provide. The report is further evidence of the consensus of the UK’s public health community that vaping is not only significantly less harmful than cigarettes, but also are an incredibly important smoking cessation tool. In fact one of the report’s key recommendations is that “All local stop smoking services to become e-cigarette friendly” – we agree!