Scotland : E-cigarette sales ban to under 18’s

From now on anyone who’s under 18 and purchases vaping products will be breaking the law, and retailers need to implement an age verification policy. “We know e-cigarettes are almost certainly safer than cigarettes and have a role to help people quit smoking, but we don’t believe children should have access to them – that’s why these age restrictions are so important.” said Public Health Minister Aileen Campbell. “We are working closely with the Scottish Grocers’ Federation to make retailers aware of these changes and what they mean for their daily business.” she added.

A campaign to educate the public about the changes brought about by this new law has been set up and will be running all throughout Summer. These changes are part of the Health Act 2016, which amongst other things includes regulations pertaining to e-cigarette advertising and a ban on e-cigarette vending machines, two measures that will be implemented later this year.

Sheila Duffy, chief executive of Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) Scotland, said: “Nicotine is addictive and as there is some level of health risk associated with using these products, it is right that we keep them out of the hands of children. With the regulatory framework for e-cigarettes falling into place, now is the time to remind people that smoking tobacco is by far the more harmful activity.”

The UK is leading smoking harm reduction

The UK has been a leader in recognizing the benefits of vaping products for harm reduction, and implementing regulations that differentiate between the electronic devices and regular cigarettes. This has resulted in the country successfully reporting the lowest number of smokers ever recorded, in a move that if imitated by other countries could lead to resolving the current health epidemic brought about by smoking.