Vapor Sector Concerned About U.K. Lockdown

The U.K. Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA) expressed disappointment that the U.K. government failed to recognize the vapor sector as an essential business as it announced a new Covid-19 related lockdown.  

“Whilst we recognize the predicament that the government faces, with data highlighting the worsening coronavirus situation across the country, as an industry we feel extremely disappointed that the vaping sector has once again been overlooked as one providing essential goods and services,” said John Dunne, director general at the UKVIA, in a statement.

“Only earlier this year Public Health England acknowledged the contribution played by vaping in helping smokers quit and recent research has again highlighted that vape products are much more effective than NRTs in helping smokers give up,” he said.

“The worse thing that we need to avoid happening is people being tempted back to smoking or not trying to quit as a result of the stress caused by this latest development.”

Dunne said it would be important for the vapor industry to reopen for business in early December—the target date for the end of the second lockdown—so it can maximize sales in the lead up to the Christmas holiday and and safeguard the thousands of people it employs in the manufacture, wholesale, quality control and retail of vapor products.