Consumer vaping groups, this is your moment! Where are you?!

A few days ago it was reported that the Scottish Government may ban disposable vapes.

Naturally, there will be a public consultation first, but we all know how that works, and how it usually ends, regardless of the level of opposition.

The chance to be the first nation within the UK to ban disposable vapes will be irresistible to a Scottish Executive (sorry, Government) that has completely lost its way and needs to make a ‘statement’.

Anyway, I’ve had several requests for interviews on this issue and although Forest is strongly against a ban I’ve turned them down and suggested the broadcasters concerned contact the UK Vaping Industry (UKVIA), whose director-general John Dunne is better informed than me to talk about it.

(I listened to him yesterday on BBC Radio Scotland, where he was interviewed alongside our old friend Prof Linda Bauld, and I think I made the right decision.)

That said, it pains me to turn down interviews, and I can’t think of many instances when I have.

Smoking and pregnancy is a subject I’m reluctant to talk about because I think it’s primarily an issue for women, consumers at least. I grant that male doctors may have a valid opinion.

On the question of disposable vapes, I would happily go on air if a well qualified spokesman like John Dunne was unavailable, but what’s really missing from this debate is the voice of the vaper.

Over the last decade we’ve seen various international pro-vaping consumer organisations pop up, including the World Vapers Alliance (WVA) and the International Network of Nicotine Consumer Organisations (INNCO).

Specifically, in the UK, there’s the New Nicotine Alliance but, media wise, where are all these groups and their spokesmen?

The silence this week is baffling, especially when a ban on disposable vapes in Scotland could quickly escalate across the UK.

As I tweeted yesterday:

I don't like doing it, but I've declined several requests for interviews on this story and have forwarded them to the @Vaping_Industry. Consumer vaping groups, this is your moment! Where are you?!

Interestingly, it was ‘liked’ by the UKVIA.

Perhaps these groups will make a submission to the consultation in Scotland.

But you’ve got to try and win the public debate too, and that means being proactive and engaging with the media whenever the opportunity presents itself.

Comments

[Rose2]

"Naturally, there will be a public consultation first, but we all know how that works, and how it usually ends, regardless of the level of opposition."

Indeed we do, Simon.

Government 'fixing health consultations' with taxpayer-funded groups
02 January 2009

"The Government has been accused of fixing the outcome of public consultations on health policy after it emerged that reviews were flooded with block votes from groups funded entirely by the taxpayer."

"Ministers have effectively been accused of "astroturfing" - cultivating a fake grassroots movement in order to make a position appear more popular than it really is."
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/4076290/Government-fixing-health-consultations-with-taxpayer-funded-groups.html

Except that time it was New Labour