It is remarkable that a country prepared to ban almost anything appears unwilling to take action against the small number of breeds responsible for the overwhelming majority of dangerous attacks.
Too many other countries, and the World Health Organisation, remain stubbornly wedded to one-size-fits-all approaches that ignore the latest evidence.
The industry itself has called for all vape retailers to be licensed. This sounds like a sensible step to stop illegal products being sold in shops.
A Better Tomorrow™, one where smokers who would otherwise continue to smoke switch to less risky alternatives, such as vaping, is once again within reach. We must grasp this opportunity with both hands, or risk it slipping between our fingers.
The Government’s support has seen the UK make incredible strides in slashing smoking rates. But without regulatory change, this progress will be at risk.
Governments which recognise vaping’s potential to lower smoking rates and save lives should make that case strongly at COP9.
E-cigarettes are a great innovation for public health, but they are threatened by bad EU regulation.
It wouldn’t be a “sin tax”, it would be a tax penalising people for stopping smoking. The Treasury’s greed would have outweighed its logic.
Despite public health campaigners coming round to the benefits of e-cigarettes, mixed-messaging is still discouraging people from switching.
Sales of cigarettes and vapes to under 18s are already banned. Young people are likely to continue procuring them on the booming black market, unless there is rigorous enforcement of any new legislation.