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Electronic Cigarettes: Packaging

Answer

Our advice is clear, while vaping is less harmful than smoking and can be an effective smoking quit aid for adult smokers, it is not risk free and children and non-smokers should never vape.

Data from Action on Smoking and Health from 2026 shows that over one million 11 to 17-year-olds have tried vaping. Evidence suggests that packaging, product design, and flavours can increase the appeal of vaping products to children and young people. To address this, the Government launched a United Kingdom wide consultation on 10 July on proposals to reduce the appeal of tobacco, vaping, and nicotine products, including proposals to introduce plain, white packaging for vaping and nicotine products.

Evidence from University College London and Kings College London found that plain vape packaging reduced the appeal of vapes to young people without putting off adults who smoke. The proportion of young people who thought their friends would want to try a vape fell from approximately half, or 53%, with branded packaging to about a third, or 38%, with plain packaging, and to around a quarter, or 27%, when flavour descriptions were also limited.

These proposals are intended to reduce the appeal of vaping products to children and young people and help reduce youth vaping. The Government has assessed the potential impact of these policies on the number of people vaping in the consultation-stage impact assessment. The Government will carefully consider all consultation responses before making any final policy decisions.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

18212

Session

2026-27

Subjects

Packaging Young people Electronic cigarettes

Link

View this Written question on www.parliament.uk