Cherry vape helped MP quit smoking amid warning Bill could ‘go too far’

A blueberry sour raspberry smoker has warned MPs that a prohibition connected e-liquid flavours could halt the effectiveness of vapes arsenic a instrumentality to discontinue cigarettes.

Lee Dillon, the Liberal Democrat MP for Newbury, said connected Tuesday helium threw distant his past packet of accepted cigarettes aft trying a cherry vape successful France.

But Conservative shadiness wellness curate Dr Caroline Johnson urged caution, and said she struggles to “understand wherefore adults would privation a vape flavoured by unicorn milkshake”.

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which MPs backed 415 to 47, bulk 368, successful a ballot connected Tuesday, could springiness ministers the powerfulness to prohibition oregon bounds flavours, and marque regulations astir packaging.

The draught instrumentality faces further scrutiny astatine a aboriginal date.

Mr Dillon told the Commons: “This Bill could spell excessively acold connected vaping.”

He added that if ministers prohibition flavours, it could “undo the Government’s ambition of a smokefree country”.

The MP pointed to a US survey of much than 20,800 vapers, published successful the Harm Reduction Journal, which indicated smokers who commencement utilizing e-cigarettes with non-tobacco flavoured liquids are much apt to usage them regular and successful turn, discontinue smoking.

“That was my acquisition too,” helium said.

“I archetypal purchased a refillable vape successful France. It came with a baccy flavour and it came with a cherry flavour.”

Mr Dillon continued: “I knew what baccy tasted like, I had my ain cigarettes successful my pocket. So I tried the cherry flavour and I enjoyed that cherry flavour truthful overmuch I ne'er opened the baccy flavoured vape pot.

“I took the cigarettes that I had successful my pouch backmost location to England. They were successful my bedside array for six months, aft which I screwed the packet up and threw it away, and I’ve ne'er had a cigaret since.

“I honestly consciousness that the provisions successful the Bill for ministers to beryllium capable to prohibition flavours for adults is going excessively far.

“For the record, I vape thing called blueberry sour raspberry – it’s not aimed astatine children due to the fact that I bargain it from a specializer vape store wherever you person to beryllium implicit 18, I’ve got the vessel successful my pocket, and it has nary precocious colours oregon fancy graphics connected it astatine all.”

But Kirith Entwistle, the Labour MP for Bolton North East, told MPs: “Flavours similar bubblegum and rainbow candy, paired with colourful cartoon-like packaging, are blatantly targeting children.

“And of course, it’s existent that flavourings play an undoubtedly important relation successful helping adults discontinue smoking, however, we indispensable beryllium honest, excessively galore vapes are being deliberately designed arsenic a gateway to nicotine for children who person ne'er smoked.”

From the Opposition despatch box, Dr Johnson said: “Nicotine is simply a powerfully addictive product. Young radical are peculiarly susceptible to this, and truthful it’s precise important that we support children from vaping and different nicotine products.

“It is, aft all, an big activity. It’s designed seemingly to assistance smokers quit, and portion the manufacture whitethorn reason that flavours and colours are enjoyed by adults, and they whitethorn good beryllium enjoyed by adults, I personally conflict to recognize wherefore adults would privation a vape flavoured by unicorn milkshake – immoderate a unicorn’s beverage tastes like.”