Government vaping proposals will stop smokers from quitting, says SGF

Convenience store leaders fear proposed Scottish Government ban on displays in stores will hit efforts to make nation smoke-free and healthier

Proposals to outlaw the promotion of vaping products in Scotland’s shops are unjustified and risk hampering the drive for people to quit smoking, the Scottish Grocers’ Federation (SGF) says.

The convenience store trade body has called on plans for a ban on in-store promotions to be scrapped, describing them as “bad news” for the mission to make the nation smoke-free.

It argues that a Scottish Government proposal to ban in-store promotional displays of vaping products flies in the face of expert views - shared in its own consultation on the move - that “it would be a good thing if smokers used them instead of tobacco”.

SGF fears the ban would hide a proven route for smokers to quit by switching to a less harmful alternative, setting the national health improvement agenda back.

While its members sell both cigarettes and e-cigarettes, they are committed to playing their part in improving Scotland’s health outcomes by reducing tobacco sales and replacing them with sales of vapour products.

SGF Head of Public Affairs Dr John Lee said: “The evidence base presented in the consultation document simply does not justify the measures proposed.

“It clearly sets out the benefits of using vaping products to stop smoking. That it then makes the contradictory suggestion that displays of them should be banned is somewhat bewildering.

“The trouble is that banning the in-store promotion of vaping products will inevitably stall the drive to make Scotland smoke-free by 2034.

“This is clearly bad news for Scotland’s public health.”

SGF has shared its concerns as a Government consultation on tightening rules on the advertising and vaping products - including the proposed ban - gets underway.

The organisation is instead advocating the responsible use of vapes as a tool to help smokers kick their habit, highlighting the benefits that they believe they can have in the document Vape To Quit.

Polling carried out for SGF last year found that Scots think access to e-cigarettes should not be further restricted - and that more e-cigarette users get their information about the products from convenience stores such as SGF’s members than from their doctor or local NHS stop smoking service.

In its Vape To Quit document, SGF highlights that:

• SGF and its member stores want to help customers transition away from cigarettes towards e-cigarettes, as the first step on their journey to quitting altogether and achieving the Scottish Government’s ambition to make the nation smoke-free.

• More than one-in-seven people in Scotland smoke. More than half of them say they want to quit. Half the smokers. Half the hospital admissions. Half the deaths.

• Only seven per cent of Scots use Nicotine Vaping Products (NVPs), or e-cigarettes, which are recognised as the most successful cessation tool, with Public Health England estimating that people who use vaping to quit have a success rate of up to 74%. SGF can highlight their responsible use.

Dr Lee added: “Scotland has led the way in encouraging people to stop smoking. Making vaping easier could be at least as beneficial in 15 years time as the smoking ban was 15 years ago.

“We want to encourage our customers to Vape To Quit.”