What is at Stake for You?

The current wave of proposed regulations unfairly targets those who have made the successful switch to a smoke-free lifestyle. The campaign is actively pushing back against sweeping policies that will hurt adult consumers, including:

• The Vaping Products Duty: A proposed £2.20 tax per 10ml of e-liquid, which could inflate some prices by a staggering 264%.
• Blanket Restrictions: Impending bans on adult-focused advertising, essential flavour options, and in-store product displays.
• Cessation Cuts: The potential end of the vital "Swap to Stop" programme.
• Unfair Labels: Branding responsible, life-changing vape shops as "anti-social" nuisances instead of health assets.

The Facts About Vaping

1. The Truth About Harm Reduction is Being Lost

Despite overwhelming evidence, the facts simply aren't reaching the people who need them most. A staggering 53% of smokers still haven't heard Public Health England's landmark conclusion: vaping is around 95% less harmful than tobacco.

Instead, misinformation is winning. In 2020, 38% of smokers believed vaping was just as harmful as smoking, and 15% actually believed it was worse; those numbers have barely budged today. Government studies confirm that vaping is significantly more effective than traditional Nicotine Replacement Therapies (like patches or gum) for stopping smoking. Hiding vapes in stores or limiting vital adult options only reinforces the dangerous myth that vaping is just as bad as smoking.

Sources & Further Reading:

• E-cigarettes around 95% less harmful than tobacco estimates landmark review (GOV.UK)
• Vaping better than nicotine replacement therapy for stopping smoking, evidence suggests (GOV.UK)

2. Vaping Saves the NHS Money, But the New Tax Punishes You

Encouraging smokers to switch doesn't just save lives; it saves the country money. According to research from Brunel University London, if just 3 million smokers quit smoking and switched to vaping, it could save the NHS £500 million a year.

Yet, instead of supporting this transition, the government is proposing a Vaping Products Duty of £2.20 per 10ml of e-liquid. This tax could inflate the price of your standard e-liquids by a staggering 264%. Making the UK's most effective quit-smoking tool unaffordable makes absolutely no economic or public health sense.

Sources & Further Reading:

• NHS would save more than £500m a year if half of England's adult smokers vaped instead (Brunel University London)

3. We Can Protect Youth Without Punishing Adults

We completely agree that rogue traders selling to under-18s need to be shut down. As the charity Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) rightly stated in response to the government: "It’s possible to crack down hard on irresponsible retailers and youth-focused marketing without undermining vaping’s role as a substantially less harmful alternative for adults who smoke."

Blanket bans on essential adult flavour profiles, restrictions on in-store displays, and the potential end of the "Swap to Stop" programme are not the answer. We need strict, targeted retail licensing to weed out bad actors, not sweeping policies that unfairly brand responsible, community-oriented vape shops as "anti-social."

Sources & Further Reading:

• ASH response to PM crackdown on vape shops (Action on Smoking and Health)

How You Can Protect Progress

Higher prices and restricted choices raise the very real risk of vapers returning to combustible tobacco. If vaping helped you quit smoking, your voice carries serious weight in this debate. You can take action in just a few minutes:

• Sign the petition: Help the campaign reach its 100,000 signature milestone.
• Write to your MP: Use the campaign’s straightforward, personalised letter tool to make your voice heard locally.
• Share your story: Tell policymakers directly how vaping helped you quit smoking by completing the campaign survey.

MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD