The British government led by Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has launched a legislative tightening to close a loophole in England that allows e-cigarette retailers to give free samples to minors. Targeting children and adolescents with this kind of marketing is something "unacceptable", the prime minister said. There will also be a revision of the rules on "nicotine-free" products: they can currently be sold regularly even to those under 18, unlike electronic cigarettes that are banned.
In addition, an alarming phenomenon emerged from a recent journalistic investigation conducted by the BBC: many illegal vaporizers confiscated from pupils in schools contained levels of lead, nickel and chromium much higher than those deemed safe. Discovery that "shocked" Sunak and prompted him to intervene, introducing in its tightening also harsher penalties for stores that sell non-approved vaporizers.
According to data from the NHS, 2021% of children aged 9-11 used e-cigarettes in 15, compared to 6% in 2018.
The Labour opposition criticised the Tory executive's announcement as a "small step" in an area where more decisive and comprehensive action is needed.
UK government launches crackdown on electronic cigarettes for minors
2023-05-30T11:30:49.945Z
Highlights: The British government is cracking down on the sale of e-cigarettes to minors. The move is in response to the rise in the number of children using the devices. The UK is one of the few countries in the world where e-cigarette use is legal. It is also the only country in Europe that allows it to be sold to minors, unlike the U.S., where it is illegal to sell it to adults. The British government says the move is necessary to protect children from the dangers of smoking.
The British government led by Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has launched a legislative tightening to close a loophole in England that allows e-cigarette retailers to give free samples to minors. (ANSA)
