Press Release

• WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION WILL ATTACK HARM REDUCTION POLICY AT COP11
• SURGING TAXES & MISINFORMATION WILL HIT SHOP FOOTFALL AND DRIVE BLACK MARKET
• “BACK VAPING SAVE LIVES” CAMPAIGN TO PRESSURE MPs

wevapeAs global delegations prepare to gather in Geneva for the World Health Organisation’s COP11 on tobacco control in November, the real world impact of their decisions will be hidden from public view.

Behind closed doors, faceless bureaucrats – who have excluded the media and the public – are expected to push for restrictions that threaten harm reduction tools and the small businesses that rely on them.

None of WHO’s ideas, which have included a blanket global ban on vaping, the demonisation of nicotine and rocketing taxes on harm reduction products, are influenced by the 194 attending member states.

Instead, those behind this Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) will put forward pre-baked “recommendations”, with a heavy expectation these will influence national health legislation worldwide.

No one can properly challenge these policy templates and to date, any member supporting harm reduction initiatives – including the UK – is simply ignored.

There is now clear evidence profits from vaping products account for a significant and growing share of income for UK convenience stores.

Recent data shows revenue margins from vapes were far higher than those of tobacco products, with an average of 37.1% compared to 8.5% respectively in 2022.

Meanwhile, footfall from tobacco sales has decreased by nearly 40% in small retailers compared to less than a decade ago.

WHO’s COP11 will likely, as before, push for policies such as banning flavoured vapes and imposing cigarette-level taxes on vaping products.

As a result, this will reduce sales and squeeze profit margins for stores heavily reliant on vapers, while increasing a consumer shift toward the unregulated black-market.

Convenience stores also face tougher regulations, including bans on product displays and stricter age-verification rules as part of the forthcoming Tobacco and Vapes Bill, while over-taxation of vapers will likely deter smokers from making the switch, risking lives.

We Vape believes an attack on vaping is an attack on our small high street businesses, already reeling from government tax increases on employees’ national insurance and the cost of living crisis that has reduced public spending.

It also hits consumers in the pocket, enables misinformation around the safety of vaping to persist and ultimately stops people quitting cigarettes, the biggest cause of preventable death in the world (8 million, according to WHO’s own data).

That’s why we are asking retailers and consumers to write to their local MP, to demand proper representation of their interests.

More questions are now being asked of WHO and its legitimacy than ever, after the withdrawal of £370million of US funding and support, with President Donald Trump branding the organisation a “corrupt, globalist, China-centric scam”.

It leaves the UK as one of the organisation’s largest contributors, with £170million of tax payer cash donated each year.

We Vape founder Mark Oates said:

“How is it a supranational organisation can ban the media and the public, but be allowed to influence global policy so that it damages public health in nearly 200 countries, destroys small businesses and misinforms the people? That is what these COPs represent, yet we have no elected representatives fighting our corner, despite the UK being the biggest contributer, using tax payer money.

“Consumers, convenience stores and the general public must be told the impacts these distance conferences have on their day to day lives, and their pockets. We emplore everyone who can to contact their MP and make it clear they challenge this counterproductive and secretive WHO process.”

Pressure on MPs to reject restrictive WHO measures is crucial. Support the Back Vaping, Save Lives campaign by writing to your MP today.

Find your MP at parliament.uk and use the template letter available at backvaping.co.uk.

For further information and support, visit we-vape.org. ends
For more information contact Richard White: 07920 582515 richard@oismedia.group

Ecigclick Team

Ecigclick covers all the latest in vaping. The team have a combined vaping experience of over 70 years. We have personally tried and tested over 2000 vape products and aim to help you choose the right vape for your needs, whether you are a beginner or looking for a more advanced experience.

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