March 1, 2022
The New Nicotine Alliance (NNA) is encouraging individuals to share their responses to the public consultation for a new policy paper entitled “Tightening rules on advertising and promoting vaping products” in Scotland. The Alliance has called the proposal as a misguided set of proposal and it will also submit its comprehensive response.
The NNA says, “The proposals seek to place unnecessary obstacles in front of raising awareness about vaping products in Scotland. The EU Tobacco Products Directive, which the UK ratified prior to Brexit, already stipulates bans on vaping adverts on TV, in newspapers and in magazines, but this new initiative from the Scottish government aims to treat vaping products the same as cigarettes by prohibiting in-store promotional displays as well as ads on billboards, bus stops and anywhere else currently permitted.”
“The plans would also prohibit vape companies from sponsoring any event or activity and ban free or cut-price samples.”
It further adds, “This threatens to make vape products effectively invisible and would mean Scotland having the most draconian advertising regulations for vaping products in Europe. The Scottish government claims to be committed to a policy of being smokefree by 2034 yet are now proposing making the most effective cessation devices in recent years hidden from smokers.”
The Alliance believes, that these proposals from the Scottish government will protect the cigarette trade by making safer alternatives less visible, less accessible, and by raising doubts in many people’s minds as to their relative risk compared with smoking.
“The closing date is 28th April. Be sure not to miss the deadline or your response will not be considered.”
“The online form is available at this link and will not take too long to submit. If you do have time, though, we would encourage you to make good use of the opportunity to fully explain why you chose your responses in the further comments box provided for every question,” says NNA.
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