A senior Labour MP has called for the ban of marketing vapes with brightly coloured packaging and branding, in the hopes that the move would ‘protect children from addiction’.
The shadow minister for children and early years, Helen Hayes, has proposed a new law restricting any marketing of e-cigarettes that is designed or has the potential to appeal to under-18s.
During Ten Minute Rule Bills, Hayes told the House of Commons that some products are aimed at children and banning them would have a direct impact on the “very alarming” number of young people vaping.
Vape shops sell products that imitate well-known brands, such as Len & Jenny’s mint Oreo cookie vapes, which act as a play on words with ice cream giants Ben & Jerry’s.
Other notable vape products that clearly market to appeal to children include those named after sweets such as gummy bears, Skittles and Tutti Frutti, as well as products with cartoon designs.
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Without action “we can expect a pipeline of young people becoming addicted to vaping, which may stay with some of them for the rest of their lives”, Hayes warned.
The proposed bill is similar to the existing ban on cigarette advertising, branding and shop displays which has dramatically reduced tobacco sales and smoking rates among children.
It is hoped similar restrictions on vapes would see a similar reduction in the usage of e-cigarettes by children, with Hayes adding “it was not necessary to use brightly-coloured branding to market a smoking cessation product”.
Labour’s announcement follows the Conservatives accepting a £350,000 donation from a company which sells vaping products with names like Watermelon Bubblegum and Cotton Candy Ice, despite the Government pledging to crack down on vapes aimed at children.
Among the vaping product’s Supreme 8 distributes include Elf Bar, a Chinese-owned e-cigarette firm which has been criticised for marketing vapes to younger age groups.
The bill proposal and donation comes after the government introduced a £3m ‘illicit vape enforcement’ squad in a crackdown on current loopholes in the law that allow vape brands to offer free vapes to children as part of their marketing strategy.
Speaking at the time, Prime Minister Sunak acknowledged that some products are deliberately being marketed to attract children – including the promotion of cheaper and more colourful products.
“Our new illicit vape enforcement squad – backed by £3m – is on the case, but clearly there is more to do,” he said.
“The marketing and the illegal sales of vapes to children is completely unacceptable and I will do everything in my power to end this practice for good.”
