“There isn’t any denying we live in a vaping epidemic,” Professor David Pressure, chair of the BMA’s board of science, stated in feedback accompanying the report’s launch.
He famous one in 10 adults now vape, whereas calling the six-fold enhance in these aged between 11 and 17 who now vape “much more worrying”.
“As a health care provider, I perceive the position vapes can play in serving to folks to give up smoking, however they haven’t any rightful place in our youngsters and younger folks’s lives,” Pressure added.
“An business so clearly concentrating on kids with colors, flavours and branding, to push a product that may result in nicotine habit and potential additional harms can’t be allowed to occur any longer.”
The report recommends banning all disposable vape and non-tobacco flavour gross sales, in addition to utilizing imagery, colouring and branding on packaging and gadgets.
That may mirror present restrictions on cigarettes.
The BMA additionally needs curbs on promoting and advertising and marketing, and guidelines conserving vapes behind retail counters and never on show.
In the meantime, it’s recommending authorities training campaigns on the risks of vapes to cut back their attraction, particularly amongst kids.
“We’re calling on ministers to take daring and courageous actions that may make an actual distinction,” Penelope Toff, the BMA’s public well being drugs committee head, stated.
A Division of Well being and Social Care spokesperson stated advertising and marketing vapes to kids and younger folks was “completely unacceptable”.
The spokesperson stated deliberate laws will outlaw the apply whereas “regulating flavours, packaging, and altering how and the place they’re displayed in retailers”.
