More than one in 10 ex-smokers who vape could relapse under Rishi Sunak’s plan to restrict flavours, government claims
More than one in 10 ex-smokers who have switched to vaping could relapse due to plans to restrict flavors, according to the government’s own impact assessment.
The Department of Health highlighted research showing that 13 percent of ex-smokers who vape could return to cigarettes if flavors were not available.
Rishi Sunak’s hotly contested proposal cleared its first hurdle last night. MPs voted 383 to 67 in favor of the ‘crazy’ ban.
According to the bill, anyone born after 2009 will no longer be allowed to buy tobacco. This means that children aged 15 or under can never legally sell a cigarette in England.
It is also expected that vapes will be limited to four flavors, sold in plain tobacco packaging and displayed out of sight of children as part of the same crackdown.
The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development’s 2023 health report shows that 12.7 percent of Britons over the age of 15 smoke cigarettes every day, far more than in the US and New Zealand, the latter of which recently introduced a similar phased smoking ban
According to the bill, anyone born after 2009 will no longer be allowed to buy tobacco. This means that children aged 15 or under can never legally sell a cigarette in England. It is also expected that vapes will be limited to four flavors, sold in plain tobacco packaging and displayed out of sight of children as part of the same crackdown.
Currently, vapes are sold in colorful packaging and in flavors such as cotton candy, which campaigners say appeal to children.
However, critics and MPs opposed to ‘nanny state’ measures fear the Prime Minister’s flagship policy for a ‘smoke-free generation’ will backfire.
In its impact assessment, the government said the 13 percent figure was likely to be an ‘upper limit’.
But, citing research from the University of Bristol, it highlighted estimates that ‘four percent of smokers quit because of vaping, and 33 percent of smokers stated they would not quit and/or smoke more if flavors were not available ‘.
The impact assessment added: ‘For ex-smokers, it was estimated that 13 per cent of ex-smokers vape and that 13 per cent of these ex-smokers would relapse if flavors were not available.’
According to the assessment, the University of Bristol’s decision aid is ‘based on a scenario where there are only three flavors left on the market’.
These were: unflavoured, tobacco and menthol.
The impact assessment continued: ‘The impact on smoking cessation and relapse among ex-smokers would be smaller if fewer flavors were restricted.
“Second, there are other cessation aids that smokers could try, such as other nicotine replacement therapies.”
Mr Sunak’s bold proposals have long been criticized as ‘illiberal’ by critics.
Some fear health chiefs will be next to crack down on sugar, caffeine and alcohol, calling the move a ‘slippery slope’.
Vocal naysayers include ex-UKIP leader Nigel Farage and former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who has branded the ban ‘crazy’ and ‘absolutely crazy’.
Fifty-nine Tory MPs β including six government ministers β opposed the plans last night.
They included Kemi Badenoch, Steve Baker and ex-cabinet ministers Suella Braverman, Sir Simon Clarke and Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg.
More than 100 Tories also did not vote, leaving only 165 of 347 voters supporting the bill.
In response to the backlash against the ban, Britain’s chief medical officer yesterday rejected the ‘pro-choice’ arguments.
Professor Sir Chris Whitty instead argued that cigarettes are a product ‘designed to deprive you of choice’.
Meanwhile, Home Secretary Laura Farris said she was “not particularly interested in discussions about freedom.”
The MP for Newbury, who started smoking at the age of 12, told LBC: ‘It took me years and years and years to quit. It’s actually one of my biggest regrets.
‘I now have two young children and the fact that they will never be able to walk into a shop and buy a pack of cigarettes again is something I welcome.
‘You become addicted to it. It’s a terrible habit. And even if you do, you know you’re doing yourself irreparable damage. And it’s incredibly difficult to get rid of it.’
The government believes the phased ban, which will see the legal age for purchasing tobacco increased by one year every year from 2027, will result in 1.7 million fewer people smoking by 2075.
It predicts the move will save tens of thousands of lives and prevent up to 115,000 cases of stroke, heart disease, lung cancer and other lung diseases.
Home Secretary Laura Farris (pictured) also claimed she was ‘not particularly interested in discussions about freedom’. The MP for Newbury, who started smoking at the age of 12, told LBC: ‘It took me years and years and years to quit. It’s actually one of my biggest regrets.β
The smoking ban was initially recommended last year in a government report by ex-children’s charity chief Javed Khan.
He warned that without urgent action, England would miss its 2030 smoke-free target by at least seven years, with the poorest areas not meeting this target until 2044.
The plans are believed to have been inspired by a major crackdown planned by New Zealand’s previous government.
But in November, the country’s new prime minister, Christopher Luxon, announced he was shelving the “world-first” plan, with the turnaround funding tax cuts instead.
The number of smokers in Britain is now the lowest on record, at 12.9 percent β ββor around 6.4 million people.
But smoking kills around 78,000 people in Britain every year, and many more suffer from diseases as a result of their habit – half of which are due to cardiovascular disease, such as heart attack and stroke.
It is estimated that around 500,000 hospital admissions in England each year are due to smoking and that smoking costs the economy Β£17 billion per year.