The Government is considering a tax on vaping fluid as a new way to raise money for the NHS.
The Sun reports that vapers spend around £275 a year on vaping fluid, which would raise £40 million in a year, based on a 5% tax.
‘Creating a sin tax for vape products is counter-productive, and is harmful to consumers who are making the transition to less risky products,’ Fred Roeder, London-based managing director of the Consumer Choice Center, said.
‘We know that vape products are instrumental in the fight against smoking, which raises questions as to why the Government would target vaping.
‘If we want people to transition away from smoking, as advised by the UK College of Physicians, then why would the Government want to make that more expensive?’
Stop smoking aids
Around half of regular vapers claim they use e-cigarettes to help them quit smoking, The Sun says.
Recent studies have shown vaping to be better for oral health than smoking cigarettes.
Despite this prescriptions for stop smoking aids have fallen in England by 75% over the last 12 years.
‘GPs must be supported to help patients who smoke to quit,’ Cancer Research UK’s senior cancer prevention manager, George Butterworth, said.
‘CCGs need to remove restrictions that prevent GPs from prescribing these important medications.
‘And they must make sure GPs get the appropriate training.
‘Smokers across the country should also be able to access stop smoking services, which give them the best chances of quitting.
‘Cuts to the Public Health Grant have meant that many of these services have been slashed.
‘The Government must reverse these cuts to ensure these important services can stay open.’
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