UKVIA: TRPR review acknowledges crucial role vaping plays in smoking harm reduction

In response to the Department for Health and Social Care’s (DHSC) review into the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations (TRPR) laws, the UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA) has shared its recommendation to encourage vaping as a less harmful alternative to smoking.

The UKVIA submitted a package of recommendations to the TRPR consultation, including:

• The use of Government-approved expert health claims on products to address misinformation leading to misperceptions on vaping, and therefore encourage smokers to switch
• Greater opportunities to engage with smokers, as current regulations restrict vaping’s ability to provide smokers with evidence-based knowledge to make informed decisions when looking to quit
• The extension of certain regulations to cover additional vaping products, such as non-nicotine e-liquids, thereby ensuring a highly responsible and safe industry.

The Government has set itself a target of reducing the amount of UK smokers to just 5% of the population in the next eight years with the TRPR and other developments, such as the yet to be published Tobacco Control Plan (TCP), set to play a major role in helping to realise that ambition.

The DHSC’s view, published Friday (March 25) is that existing TRPR regulations “met their original objectives” and that they “could not be better achieved through alternative regulatory measures”.

In response to this John Dunne, Director General of the UKVIA, said: “While at first glance this appears to be ‘status quo’, I see this as a win for the UK’s vaping sector as the review clearly states the positive impact that vaping can have in helping people to quit smoking.

“As part of the TRPR consultation, we submitted a whole raft of proposals aimed at creating a better commercial and regulatory environment to make it easier for the industry to help people trying to give up smoking and it is good to see those acknowledged.”

“What this tells me is that the industry is doing its job in bringing to the fore some of the things that have been holding back vaping’s ability to support the Government’s smokefree targets to full effect,” continued John Dunne.

“We have to remember this is only a review of all points made and some initial positions the government is taking; our hope now is that those proposals and recommendations are carried forward and manifested in the Tobacco Control Plan (TCP).

“So, while in some respects it is disappointing that the Government hasn’t taken forward the measured, evidence-based reviews put forward by the UKVIA, there is still positivity that in addition to forthcoming TCP, our recommendations can also inform and influence the Health Disparities White Paper and independent review into tobacco control policies.

“The UKVIA will, of course, work tirelessly to ensure our voice is heard in all the right places so that we can develop those opportunities to bring about the real change required to maximises the potential of vaping, whilst simultaneously discouraging youth uptake.”

He added: “Today’s development with its acknowledgement of vaping’s value towards smoking harm reduction goes at least some way to paving the road for us to move on from the frankly dangerous misinformation that has stopped vaping from realising its full public health potential in the past, and we will continue our campaigning to make this happen and support the Government’s smoke-free agenda.”