Imperial Suggests Steps to Tackle Youth Vaping

The United Kingdom should establish a new retailer licensing scheme to improve compliance, review flavor naming conventions to limit youth appeal and strengthen the regulations for online advertising and promotion, according to Imperial Brands.

The company made its suggestions in response to the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities’ (OHID) call on stakeholders to identify opportunities to reduce underage vaping while keeping e-cigarettes available as a quit aid for adult smokers.

In its consultation response, Imperial also suggested raising product quality and safety standards to ensure adult smokers can feel confident about transitioning to vape products, and working with industry to increase support to local authorities to tackle noncompliance.

“We welcome the opportunity to contribute to OHID’s call for evidence on youth vaping. Vape products should be used by existing adult smokers and adult vapers only—they should never be used by children,” said Oliver Kutz, general manager U.K. and Ireland at Imperial Brands, in a statement.

“Government, industry and enforcement authorities must work together to create a regulatory framework which both supports the important role vapes can play in helping adult smokers quit and prevents the appeal and access of these products to under 18s. We are proposing a series of measures to address product standards, flavor and naming regulations, and the retail environment. An integrated, multi-pronged approach is needed in order to drive out irresponsible actors and improve trust in this important product category.”