UK Health Wales strengthens e-cigarette controls, proposes ban on flavored e-cigarettes

According to an April 18 report by walesonline, Public Health Wales in the United Kingdom has set up a task force to address the rapidly increasing number of teenagers smoking e-cigarettes. The task force recommended that a ban be placed on e-cigarette distributors and manufacturers from selling attractively flavored e-cigarettes such as bubble gum, which some e-cigarette stores sometimes advertise with eye-catching signs on the way to and from school.



The recommendation is one of four made by the task force in its report released on Thursday (18), whose four main controls are listed below:



1. anti-regulation of e-cigarettes - Stop smoking e-cigarettes in spaces that primarily serve children and young people. Environments serving children should have an e-cigarette-free policy.

2. packaging and display - restrictions should be placed on the advertising, packaging and display of e-cigarettes in Wales. This is because it is likely to be "one of the most effective measures to tackle e-cigarette smoking among children and young people in Wales".

3. disposable products - the sale of disposable e-cigarettes should be banned.

4. flavors - Flavor names should be legally restricted to basic descriptions such as tobacco, menthol, mint and fruit.



Chris Emmerson, a consultant to the department, said:



"These best practices provide a comprehensive framework for our young e-cigarette users in Wales. By implementing these practices we can better address the complex needs of children and young people smoking e-cigarettes. Nicotine replacement therapy, which is already available to those who smoke over the age of 12, is a tool that may help children and young people move on from e-cigarette dependence, used in conjunction with other support mechanisms."