If in doubt, ban it
Thursday, April 20, 2023 at 10:00 Having kept a low profile when the Government announced its response to ‘The Khan review: make smoking obsolete’ last week, the author of that ‘landmark’ report has broken his silence.
After urging the Government to promote vaping ‘to help people to quit smoking tobacco’, Javed Khan, a former CEO of Barnardo’s, now believes his proposals to simultaneously deter young people from vaping didn’t go far enough.
One of the 15 critical recommendations Khan included in his review was to:
Offer vaping as a substitute for smoking, alongside accurate information on the benefits of switching, including to healthcare professionals (critical intervention). The government should accelerate the path to prescribed vapes and provide free Swap to Stop packs in deprived communities, while preventing young people’s uptake of vapes by banning child friendly cartoon packaging and descriptions.
The Financial Times now reports that:
Javed Khan, a former executive who led a landmark government review into smoking last year, said the “worryingly high” levels of underage use “tipped the balance conclusively” in favour of a ban on flavoured, single-use vapes.
“If I knew then what we know now, I would have been stronger in calling for an outright ban,” said Khan, who was the chief executive of child protection charity Barnardo’s between 2014-21.
Khan’s support for a ban is not however shared by ASH whose CEO, Deborah Arnott, favours something less draconian - the imposition of a £4 excise tax on disposable vapes ‘to make them less affordable to younger users’.
That may have some effect on the number of children vaping, but it will also make many vulnerable to the black market and illicit traders.
It’s worth pointing out too that the sale of e-cigarettes to under 18s is already illegal.
Therefore, instead of punishing impoverished adult vapers (who may be trying to give up smoking, a more expensive habit), perhaps the Government, and Trading Standards, should concentrate on enforcing existing laws rather than introducing new measures that may be counter-productive.
Unfortunately the default position of many public health campaigners seems to be, ‘If in doubt, ban it’.
How unimaginative, and tiresome.
Reader Comments (1)
... and one wonders how much of that £4 tax ASH is contemplating it might get to "help" stop people vaping. They usually use the emotive term "children" for anyone under the age of 21.