Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt recently rejected calls by health officials to introduce a new tax on disposable e-cigarettes in the government budget presented on March 15.
Anti-smoking campaigners have also been urging the government to start taxing disposable e-cigarettes.
Deborah Arnott, chief executive of Action on Smoking and Health, said: “Increasing the tax on disposable e-cigarettes in the March budget was easy to do, and by lowering prices, it would reduce the number of children who vape and also reduce the number of children who vape. It can reduce the large number of single-use e-cigarettes that are thrown into landfill.”
“We support adult smokers who find that vaping helps them quit. However, given the recent increase in vaping among children, there is an urgent need for government action to improve regulation and enforcement,” Arnott added.
British ministers are reportedly considering a range of measures to stop underage vaping. Plans under consideration include a ban on candy-flavored e-cigarettes and a crackdown on colorful marketing that could appeal to young people.
UK policy bans the sale of e-cigarettes to those under 18, but a national survey shows vaping among 11-17-year-olds is on the rise, with health ministry leaders blaming vaping-related marketing and flavors .
