The Local Government Association (LGA) has backed government proposals to restrict the display of vaping and nicotine products, extend plain packaging requirements and control flavour descriptions to reduce their appeal to children. However, in its response to the consultation on tobacco and vape packaging, appearance and display, the LGA warned that manufacturers could seek opportunities to circumvent the rules unless regulations are carefully and tightly drafted and practical to enforce.
Key proposals from the LGA
The LGA is calling for a single ‘sell-by’ date for new products, a ban on codes, colours, numbers and invented names used as sweet or fruity flavour descriptors, and plain packaging rules to cover all tobacco products, vapes, herbal smoking products and cigarette papers – including filters, retail shelf labels and accessories.
It also wants flavour descriptor and plain packaging rules tightened to include online listings and vape-related smartphone apps, and mandatory waste disposal information on vaping products to prevent dangerous and costly fires in waste facilities.
Enforcement and funding concerns
The LGA said tobacco and vaping rules should be combined into a single, easy-to-enforce national set of regulations. It also called for retail licensing to be introduced promptly to support enforcement – without it, there is a new inspection burden on authorities that hold no register of the premises they are meant to inspect.
Trading Standards have experienced funding reductions of close to 50% over 15 years, and the LGA said councils should also be able to continue retaining income from fixed penalty and licensing schemes to support enforcement.
Balancing youth protection and adult cessation
Cllr Dr Wendy Taylor MBE, chair of the LGA’s Health and Wellbeing Committee, said: “Reducing the appeal and visibility of vapes, tobacco and nicotine products to children through tighter controls on flavours, packaging and promotion, is a vital step in tackling the concerning rise in youth vaping.
“But these measures will only succeed if they are straightforward to enforce, watertight enough to prevent manufacturers finding loopholes and flavour tricks to market products to young people, and backed by sustainable funding for Trading Standards services to tackle illegal sales and enforce new regulations.
“Vapes remain a useful tool to help adult smokers quit, which is why it is equally important that local stop smoking services receive the investment they need to support people to make that switch.”
