ASH Scotland welcomes new UK Government’s commitment to reintroduce a Tobacco and Vapes Bill

ASH Scotland is today welcoming the new UK Government’s commitment in the King’s Speech today (Wednesday 17 July 2024) to reintroduce a UK-wide Tobacco and Vapes Bill that will progressively increase the age at which people can buy cigarettes and limit the sale and marketing of e-cigarettes.

Sheila Duffy, Chief Executive of health charity, ASH Scotland, said: “We warmly welcome the new UK Government’s commitment to progressively increase the age at which people can buy cigarettes, which would mean those extremely health damaging products are incrementally cleared from retail space, and for the sale and marketing of vapes to be restricted.

“It is heartening to see that the new government is hitting the ground running by focusing on prevention to help keep people healthy, which is vital if we are to continue driving down use of tobacco – the biggest preventable killer in Scotland, causing more than 8,000 deaths a year.

“Tobacco industry promotions have lured youngsters into using their addictive, harmful products for decades and the same is happening with e-cigarettes, so we need government to work at pace to stop the targeted marketing of sweet flavoured, brightly coloured vapes and packaging aimed at children, by implementing strong measures as a matter of urgency to protect the health of young people.

“We urge cross party MPs to work to ensure the swift progress of the legislation to reach the statute book and for the governments in both Westminster and Holyrood to use all available powers to eradicate the damage that profit-centred multi-national tobacco corporations are inflicting on people’s lives, and enable Scotland to attain a tobacco-free generation by 2034.”