Press Release
With the government expected to launch a consultation on the future of vaping shortly, the UK’s leading trade association for the vaping industry today launches a major national public information campaign that will run for the next six months aimed at clearing the air of confusion around vaping whilst publishing new research that underlines the importance of vaping in helping smokers to quit.
Recent months have seen a flurry of negative headlines about vaping and, according to research from a leading health charity, 40% of people now believe vaping is as or more harmful than smoking, a figure that has risen by an astonishing 60% in just three years.
Representing vape manufacturers, importers, distributors and vendors across the UK, the Independent British Vape Trade Association (IBVTA) is aiming to set the record straight, highlighting the benefits of vaping, how vaping devices are being used to help smokers quit and how vaping is crucial to the Government’s ambition to make the UK smoke free by 2030.
Underpinning the campaign, the IBVTA is also publishing new research today that reveals the importance of vaping to quitting smoking. In a huge new study of more than 6,000 smokers and ex-smokers across the country, the IBVTA found that 37% of ex-smokers and 46% of regular smokers have tried or used a vaping device to help them quit smoking.
These findings chime with the ambition of the Government’s ‘Swap to Stop scheme, which will provide vapes to one million smokers to help them quit. The facts highlight the role that vaping can play with the number of 18-year-olds who regularly smoked falling from 24.5% in 2021 to 19.5% in 20224, a 20% decrease in one year alone.
The IBVTA is also publishing a key facts and best practice document that highlights how the sector is addressing recent concerns raised including stopping those under 18 from accessing vapes and the responsible disposal and recycling of used vape products.
Commenting, Marcus Saxton, Chair of the IBVTA said:
“Recent negative headlines about vaping are seriously impacting people’s understanding and perceptions with a record number now believing it is as dangerous as tobacco. Unchecked, this growing confusion risks jeopardising the positive work that vaping has achieved in the last decade and will deny smokers and ex-smokers a proven and positive quit aid, risking 2 in 3 lifetime tobacco users suffering death by a smoking related cause.
“And, with government now talking up the possibility of a ban on single use devices, which are a crucial step toward quitting for many, the government’s ambition for a smoke free Britain by 2030 hangs in the balance. 27% of smokers are yet to try vaping with reasons given including concerns that are being incorrectly amplified in the media and a ban will decrease take up even more.
“The Government itself has confirmed that vaping is 95% safer than smoking and the research that we are publishing today shows the critical role that vaping is playing in helping smokers quit. That is why we are today launching this major new campaign to challenge some of the inaccuracies and to provide reassurance around the benefits of switching to vaping whilst detailing what we as a responsible sector are doing to address recent concerns around, for example, youth access prevention and the environment.”
Ends.
To find out more about the campaign visit: https://www.ibvta.org.uk/explorethefacts/
There’s been a lot of negative press recently around #vaping, so we have launched a campaign to challenge some misconceptions and highlight the role industry can play in helping the UK go smoke-free. Read more here: https://t.co/CBeO7uYvU2 pic.twitter.com/0BgTA2Rh89
— IBVTA (@TheIBVTA) September 21, 2023
