With the Government’s consultation on smoking and youth vaping coming to a close, the Independent British Vape Trade Association (IBVTA) have shared important evidence about the role that disposable vapes and e-liquid flavours can have in smoking cessation, and helping adult smokers make the switch from smoking to vaping.
They have released this research to support their position that an evidence-based and proportionate approach is needed when deciding on new regulations, and are encouraging vapers to respond to the consultation before it closes.
Have your say on the future of vaping
The Government’s open consultation on smoking and youth vaping is open to responses from anyone who wishes to share their opinion, and while it is important that researchers and academics submit their evidence, it is also crucial that they hear from the people who will be affected by the policy changes that are being considered.
The IBVTA have expressed the importance that new regulations around vaping should not only aim to minimise the appeal and access of vaping products to underage people, but to also ensure they remain a viable, effective, and accessible option for adult smokers.
Those who are currently vapers or who may plan to make the switch from smoking to vaping are those who will be most affected should tax increases and product restrictions be put in place, and so their opinions on how they would personally be affected need to be heard.
For this reason, the IBVTA and we as a member are encouraging vapers and those who have previously used an e-cigarette to help them with quitting smoking to weigh in on the consultation and help shape the future of vaping. You can find out more about the consultation and how we have responded in our blog post ‘Government opens consultation on smoking and youth vaping’, and if you want to have your say we encourage you to share your opinion in the public consultation.
Research highlights the potential damage of excessive restrictions
Three of the suggested actions that are included in the consultation are the introduction of taxes on vapes, the restriction of vape flavours, and a ban on single-use vaping products.
Research which was conducted by Opinium and commissioned by an IBVTA member, has highlighted how these strict vaping regulations could in fact prevent adult smokers from choosing to make the switch to an e-cigarette, and even hinder the UK from meeting the Government’s own aim to be smoke-free by 2030.
72% of ex-smokers think disposable vapes help smokers quit
The important role that vape juice flavours and disposable vapes can play in helping adults to remain smoke-free should not be overlooked, and research suggests that removing these options could drive current adult vapers either to purchase illicit products on the black market, or to return to smoking.
The research found that 48% of regular smokers or recent ex-smokers have used a vape to help them to stop smoking. 55% reported using a tank style vape kit, 44% using a single-use vape, and 34% using a pod vape kit. This suggests that single-use vapes, more commonly referred to as disposable vapes, actually play a substantial role in helping adult smokers to quit.
Additionally, 72% of ex-smokers who have quit within the past five years, and 58% of current smokers believe that disposable vapes are helpful in assisting a smoker in reducing their use of tobacco products. The main reasons given for using single-use vapes is their ease of use, affordability, and the disposable vape flavours available.
59% of vapers report that vape flavours helped them quit smoking
One of the most controversial actions proposed in the consultation is a restriction on the flavours available for vaping products. This could go as far as to limit flavours to tobacco, mint, and menthol only.
However, the research shared by IBVTA found that 39% of those who have used an e-cigarette to help them quit smoking used fruit flavours. This is compared to 21% who used tobacco flavours and 20% who used menthol flavours. This makes fruit flavours the most popular by far.
Not only are they the most popular flavour category, but there are substantially more flavour options within the realm of fruit flavours than in tobacco or menthol flavours, offering vapers a wider variety of flavoured e-liquids to choose from. In fact, 59% of vapers report that having a range of flavours helps stop them from returning to smoking, or has helped them reduce their traditional cigarette use. Furthermore, 35% of smokers believe that a ban on vape flavours would hinder people in giving up smoking.
When helping our customers get started on their vaping journey we consider finding the right flavours to be a crucial step, as enjoying the flavour they are using can make them more inclined to continue using an e-cigarette in favour of returning to smoking. Many vapers choose to use a variety of different flavours as this helps to keep it interesting. This is evident in the research with 36% of vapers preferring to use just one flavour, 24% switching between two flavours, and 36% using a range of different flavours.
By limiting the availability of vape flavours this could inadvertently make it more difficult for current vapers to remain smoke-free, deter current smokers from making the switch, and even make some vapers resort to purchasing products on the black market.
Vape taxes could drive vapers back to smoking
While the aim of vape taxes would be to make them less affordable for young people, it may also have the unintended affect of making them unaffordable or a less viable option for adults too.
37% of smokers and recent ex-smokers advised that if a £5 tax on vapes were to be introduced, they would either purchase cheaper products on the black market, switch back to smoking traditional cigarettes, or increase their tobacco intake.
The fear is that the strict actions suggested in the consultation could cause an increase in the sale of illicit vape products, whether these are products that are cheaper than those available legally, or are products that are affected by restrictions. They could also make vaping less accessible or less desirable for adult smokers as an alternative to smoking, causing smokers who may otherwise have quit using an e-cigarette to continue to smoke.
We have submitted our evidence to the Government’s consultation in the hopes of finding a balanced solution that makes e-cigarettes unattainable for young people, while remaining widely accessible for adult smokers and vapers. We strongly encourage you to speak up for vaping and submit your own opinions to the open consultation before it closes on December 6th 2023.
At a glance
- The Independent British Vape Trade Association (IBVTA) is encouraging those who use or have used a vape to speak up for vaping and respond to the Government’s open consultation
- Research has found that 72% of ex-smokers and 58% of current smokers believe disposable vapes are helpful in assisting a smoker to quit
- 59% of respondents report that having a range of vape flavours helps them stay smoke-free or reduce their smoking levels, and 35% believe that a flavour would hinder people in giving up smoking
Sources
gov.uk 20/10/2023
gov.uk 20/10/2023
ibvta.org.uk 2023
talkingretail.com 29/11/2023
