UK VAPING PRODUCTS DUTY CONSULTATION

UK government announced that it would introduce a new Vaping Products Duty from October 2026; in January 2024, the Department of Health & Social Care announced a range of restrictions on vaping products, including on the supply and sale of disposable vapes. The duty aims at discouraging young people and non-smokers from vaping, while maintaining the current financial incentive to choose vaping over smoking.

The consultation, led by HM Treasury and HM Revenue and Customs, asked for proposals on how the duty can be designed and implemented.

For further information on the consultation, please visit the website: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/vaping-products-duty-consultation

SCOHRE, following the submission at the UK Open Public Consultation “Smoke Free Generation”, has again submitted its views.

SCOHRE believes that the introduction of duties to nicotine products is not legitimate. Care should be taken to discourage youth from vaping, but not in ways that maintain higher levels of cigarette smoking.

A critical theme is that genuine concern for young people would not include recourse to measures that put the health and lives of their parents, grandparents and other adults at risk. Or measures that make it more likely young people would smoke cigarettes. There should, at a minimum, be a thorough risk-benefit analysis completed.

Cross-elasticities are really important in shaping demand. The lessening of the price gap between lethal combustibles and low risk substitutes can cause many unintended, but entirely predictable, consequences.

To read more about SCOHRE’s submission, click here