Keir Starmer urged to rethink vapes ban amid black market probes
Australian politicians who pioneered a similar crackdown have warned it was a flop that was then exploited by criminals.
Sir Keir Starmer has been urged to rethink new laws to restrict vaping after warnings it could create a massive black market.
Australian politicians who pioneered a similar crackdown have warned it was a flop that was then exploited by criminals.
The PM has announced plans to re-introduce a Bill originally proposed by Tory predecessor Rishi Sunak.
As well as imposing a new age limit forbidding anyone born after 2008 from buying tobacco, it will give ministers power to impose an immediate ban on certain types of vapes or e-cigarettes. This is expected to include single-use disposable vapes.
But Australian politicians say outlawing vaping Down Under created a thriving black market.
The warning was echoed by anti-smoking campaigners in the UK, who say vaping is less harmful than smoking cigarettes.
In January, Australia banned disposable vapes along with the sale or use of any e-cigarette that contains nicotine without a doctor’s prescription, going further than the current plans in the UK.
A report by the parliament in the state of Victoria found the illicit vape market could be worth up to £258million. Victoria’s population of 6.9 million is smaller than London’s.
Fiona Patten, former leader of the Australia’s Reason Party, urged Sir Keir: “Don’t do it. You are doing so well in reducing smoking. So much better than Australia. Why would you follow Australia when our smoking rates have stagnated, and organised crime runs our vaping supply and a third of our tobacco market?
“The Australia ban has certainly never reduced the prevalence of vapes. Because Australia has banned all products it has probably perversely increased the prevalence.
“All a ban will do is hand over the business to illegal operators which will not help in controlling youth use.”
Deborah Arnott, chief executive of anti-smoking campaigners Action on Smoking and Health, said many people wrongly believed vaping was just as harmful as cigarette smoking.
She said: “There are millions of smokers who may, as a result, never try the most effective and easily available quitting aid, the e-cigarette.”
Caitlin Notley, professor of addiction studies at the University of East Anglia, said: “Our data does suggest that one unintended consequence of a complete ban on disposables would be that young people would choose to purchase illicit products, or potentially use tobacco instead.”
The Government says it aims to stop vapes and other nicotine products being “deliberately branded and advertised to appeal to children” but will ensure they are still available to help smokers quit.
