An overwhelming 80% of respondents said they didn’t trust The Conservatives, Labour or the Lib Dems to lead Britain into a smokefree future, according to a poll conducted by The UK Vaping Industry Association.
The poll, which featured on X and LinkedIn social media sites, was completed by 100+ respondents, including vapers, former smokers, policy experts and retail representatives. Results showed just 10% trusted Labour to eradicate the health harms of smoking, 9% put their faith in the Lib Dems and just 1% believed Conservatives were up to the challenge.
UKVIA Director General John Dunne said: “It is deeply disappointing that this survey shows that there is so little faith in any of the main three parties to deliver a smokefree future and this should serve as a huge wake-up call to whoever gets the keys to Number 10 after the election.
“The general election halted the massively flawed Tobacco and Vapes Bill, a Rishi Sunak vanity project which was rushed through parliament with very little scrutiny before the general election stopped it in its tracks. The incoming administration has the opportunity to correct this and take the time to give it the proper and balanced scrutiny it deserves.
“We already know that England’s 2030 smokefree ambitions are in tatters, with Cancer Research UK estimating they won’t be achieved nationally until at least 2039, with some of the most deprived regions not expected to become smokefree until 2050 or beyond.
“Our politicians have let us down in this hugely important area which is vital to public health outcomes where literally millions of lives are at risk. The UKVIA is determined to help improve the lives of adult smokers and we want to work with the incoming government in any way possible on this important issue.”
The UKVIA supports balanced regulatory reform which ensures that adult smokers continue to have full access to the products they need to quit cigarettes while also addressing youth uptake and the environment.
The vape trade association wants to see the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency given the power to examine product packaging and imagery during the approvals process because cartoon characters and child-friendly designs have no role to play in the vaping industry.
The legitimate vape sector – led by the UKVIA – has long been calling for greater enforcement and stronger action against the unscrupulous sellers who put consumers, young people and the industry at risk by blatantly flouting the law.
To that end, the industry developed a first-of-its-kind vape retail and distributor licensing framework which would generate upwards of £50 million in annual self-sustaining funding, at no additional cost to the taxpayer. This money would be used to support under-resourced Trading Standards and fuel a proactive national programme of enforcement.
