BAT welcomes e-cig report

British American Tobacco has welcomed a report by the UK’s House of Commons Science and Technology Committee on electronic cigarettes.

The report, which was published on Friday, said in part that e-cigarettes were too often being overlooked as a stop-smoking tool by the National Health Service. 

“We warmly welcome the committee’s report into e-cigarettes which offers an accurate and pragmatic snapshot of the current state of play of the e-cigarette market,” a BAT spokesperson was quoted as saying in a note posted on the company’s website.

“E-cigarettes have already helped 1.2 million smokers in UK move away from tobacco products. The Committee’s recommendations set out a useful road map for the Government to continue its progressive regulatory approach to the category which will help more smokers, who would otherwise not quit, make the switch from traditional tobacco products.

“While recognising the significant risk reduction potential of e-cigarettes, the Committee also addresses a number of challenges to realising their potential. Adopting an evidence-based approach to amending the e-cigarette product format restrictions, taxation and where they can be used will also help remove the hurdles currently facing smokers who may be looking to switch to e-cigarettes.

“At the heart of everything is the ability to communicate [,] so amending the marketing restrictions currently imposed on the e-cigarette category would allow us to correct misinformation regarding the potential reduced risk of e-cigarettes versus smoking and to communicate the availability of these product[s] to smokers.

“The report highlights that e-cigarettes should be embraced as part of tobacco cessation programs. We hope local councils and health bodies will feel confident to include e-cigarettes in their local cessation programs and that they will feel comfortable consulting with responsible industry players for the roll out of these products.

“As part of our commitment to transform the tobacco industry, we remain committed to working with local councils and public health bodies and offering smokers an ever-increasing range of high quality, innovative alternative, potentially reduced risk, products.”