Vapes are to be sold in plain packaging under new UK Government proposals aimed at preventing the devices from being marketed to children. Health leaders have launched a consultation that would limit vape device colors to white, black or grey, and restrict flavor descriptions to simple names like “apple,” banning terms linked to sweets, desserts or alcohol.
Consultation Details and Goals
The UK-wide proposals also include plans to keep vapes out of sight in shops, according to the Department of Health and Social Care. Health Secretary James Murray told the Press Association: “Today, we’re launching a 12-week consultation about our plans to make vaping less attractive for children and young people. Because I think we all know that the way that some of the vaping products are promoted – the very colourful packaging and names that might be aimed at children and young people – that’s wrong because we want to make sure that, as well as being a smoke-free generation, we want children and young people not to start vaping in the first place.”
Murray added: “Vaping plays a role for adults when they’re coming off smoking, but we want to make sure children and young people don’t start it in the first place. So that’s what this consultation is about.” He emphasized the importance of getting implementation right through consultation.
Health Experts and Data Back the Move
England’s chief medical officer, Professor Sir Chris Whitty, has previously described marketing vapes to children as “utterly unacceptable.” Figures from a poll conducted for the charity Action on Smoking and Health (Ash) show that almost one in five (19%) 11–17-year-olds in Britain have tried vaping.
Professor Steve Turner, president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, welcomed the consultation, stating: “For those of us working with children every day, it is clear that only strong and meaningful regulation will protect them from the harms associated with nicotine addiction.” Hazel Cheeseman, chief executive of Ash, said: “Protecting children from harmful vape marketing is the right thing to do. Attractive, colourful branding and images have driven the appeal of vapes to children leading to an increase in use.”
Standardised Packaging and Broader Tobacco Measures
The Department of Health and Social Care said the consultation includes plans for white packaging for vapes with restrictions on text colour, imagery, branding and standardised product information. Officials noted this follows the success of standardised packaging for cigarettes since 2017. The consultation also proposes inserts for cigarette packs telling smokers where to get help to quit, and plans to make all tobacco products – including cigarette rolling paper and cigars – come in plain packaging. Additionally, exemptions allowing duty-free shops and airports to display tobacco products would be removed, restricting them from view in these settings.
Balancing Adult Use and Youth Protection
Health officials acknowledged that vapes can play an important role in helping adult smokers quit. Ms Cheeseman added: “There is a careful balance to strike with regulations. While vapes are not harm free, they are significantly less harmful than smoking and vapes have helped millions of people successfully stop smoking in recent years.”
Research published last year, led by UCL and King’s College London researchers, involved 2,770 children and young people aged 11 to 18 and just under 4,000 adults. Participants were shown vape packs: children were asked whether peers would be interested in trying the product, while adults were asked about their own interest. Among children and young people, 53% said peers would be interested in trying vapes in usual packaging, dropping to 38% when shown standardised packs with usual flavour descriptions. Among adults, interest remained similar whether packs were standardised in white or branded packaging.
Devolved Administrations Support the Plan
Scotland public health minister Maree Todd said: “The use of vapes has increased in recent years, particularly among children and young people – with almost one in five children saying they have tried vaping. We know that colourful packaging and displays are used as an enticement to children and young people, which is why we are taking action and consulting on options to address this issue. We urge everyone to have their say on how these products are marketed and sold in the future to help protect children and young people and reduce preventable harm in Scotland.”
Northern Ireland health minister Mike Nesbitt stated: “Restricting the visibility of these products will lessen their appeal, which in turn will reduce youth vaping and prevent future generations from nicotine addiction. I consider it vital that we get the views from the public on the future of displaying and packaging of these products.” Wales deputy minister for preventative and public health, Nerys Evans, commented: “Vapes are being deliberately designed and marketed to appeal to children – with bright colours, cartoon branding and sweet-sounding flavour names that have no place in products containing addictive nicotine. It is simply unacceptable and I would urge everyone to support our efforts to protect children’s health.”
