E-cigarettes in the United Kingdom

UK: The government will unveil a set of proposals in the coming weeks aimed at realising the goal of a “Smokefree 2030” and responding to the recommendations in the Khan Review, according to junior health minister Neil O’Brien.

UK: As announced in yesterday’s Spring Budget, all tobacco taxes, including on heated tobacco, have increased in line with the Retail Price Index (RPI) plus 2%.

UK - Scotland: Glasgow City Council yesterday responded to the ongoing Scottish government review of the environmental impact of disposable e-cigarettes by calling for a ban on all disposables. The council said Glasgow’s Trading Standards regularly visit shops and warehouses to check businesses are complying with regulations and advise retailers on their responsibilities and that 13,000 non-compliant single-use vapes were seized in three months. In 2022, 63 such inspections were made, with seizures of non-compliant goods made from 51 stores. A cross-party bill to ban the sale of disposables was submitted to the UK Parliament last month.

UK: The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) today published a decision against an advertisement for Riot e-liquid, which it said breached the Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP) Code. The ASA acted on two web pages advising smokers to quit in terms such as: “Cut your cigarette intake and use your Riot Bar whenever you aren’t able to smoke. Without realising, your cigarette intake will be next to nothing, or even better; non-existent. THE REST IS EASY.” The ASA said the ad undermined the message that quitting tobacco was the best option for health, and that Riot Labs had agreed to remove the disputed wording from its website.

UK: The government has no plans to ban vaping in public enclosed places, junior health minister Neil O’Brien told members of Parliament (MPs).

UK: There are no current plans to reduce nicotine levels in vapour products, junior health minister Neil O’Brien said in reply to a written parliamentary question.

UK: Greater Manchester Police has announced the seizure of 18,000 “non-compliant vape products” in an ongoing enforcement operation.