Vaping Done Right: How we achieve a smoke-free UK

We need stronger laws and better enforcement, writes Asli Ertonguc, Head of BAT UK & Western Europe.

The next three months will define the trajectory of UK smoking and vaping rates for years, perhaps even decades, to come.

The government’s flagship legislation, the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, is entering the final stages of parliamentary scrutiny. On top of this, on June 1st, it will become illegal to sell ‘disposable’ single-use vapes.

The stakes are incredibly high, and the puzzle the government needs to solve is not straightforward.

A dramatic decline in smoking

In just 14 years, UK smoking rates have dropped from 20.2 per cent to 11.9 per cent. That is almost a 50 per cent decrease – a dramatic decline. And vaping has played a significant role in that journey. In 2024, Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) reported that vaping has emerged as the leading aid for individuals who successfully quit smoking in the past five years.

But more recently, through a combination of lax laws and loose enforcement, we have also seen a rise in illegal vapes sold both above and below the counter. Additionally, and most concerningly, youth use of vapes has also risen.

With a phalanx of new rules and regulations being introduced to tackle these issues, our industry therefore faces a defining moment, but it is one which we at BAT have long-been prepared for.

For some time now, our vision has been simple.

As the UK’s largest based vaping manufacturer, we want a Better Tomorrow, where adult smokers who might otherwise continue smoking cigarettes, have transitioned to smokeless alternatives.

We are demonstrating this commitment to our consumers, adult smokers and the wider society, through our rechargeable and refillable devices which has met our top-most stringent safety and quality standards.

The liquids themselves are made with no added sucralose, vitamin e acetate or acetoin. Importantly, our vapes are independently tested to ensure the highest quality products.

If the government is truly committed to building a smoke-free UK, then this is how vaping should be done. This is the right way.

This is why we have decided to launch our new Vaping Done Right campaign. Sadly though, not all legal vapes – let alone illegal vapes – are made with the same quality, care and attention as our devices.

This is not what smokers deserve. They must be able to trust that the vaping products available to them in their local store meet stringent UK standards and are safe for consumption.

The Tobacco and Vape Bill

Before the Tobacco and Vape Bill becomes law, we are therefore once again calling on the government to strengthen the Bill and close loopholes.

A retail licensing system may be a step in the right direction, but a timeline of implementation is needed with serious consequences for unscrupulous retailers who break the law.

We also advocate that all vaping products sold into the UK must first undergo comprehensive pre-market testing in an independent laboratory. At BAT UK, this is something we take seriously.

We know where our vapes are designed, and what is in them. The same rigorous standards must, however, apply across the industry.

And as the Tobacco and Vapes Bill reaches the House of Lords, we urge Peers to reconsider the current marketing proposals. Vaping remains an important tool in encouraging adult smokers to transition to smokeless alternatives and is key to achieving the UK’s smoke-free ambitions. Yet worryingly, 50 per cent of smokers already wrongly believe vaping to be as or more harmful than smoking according to figures from Action on Smoking and Health.

Vaping is recognised by the NHS and other key health organisations as one of the most effective tools in helping smokers to switch from traditional cigarettes. So, why should we restrict advertisements and limit visibility of these products to smokers?

The only thing this will achieve is fewer adult smokers making the switch to a reduced risk product or choosing less safe products from the ever-growing illicit market.

It is incumbent on us to meet and exceed the standards set by the government and we will continue to do so.

That is why are fully committed to Vaping Done Right. But to achieve a smoke-free UK, the Tobacco and Vapes Bill must be fit for purpose and currently it is far from that.